TOKYO, 24 Oct - South Africa will be without Cheslin Kolbe for Sunday’s semi-final against Wales after the winger failed to shake off an ankle injury.

Kolbe, one of the stand-out performers in the tournament, aggravated the injury in last week’s quarter-final win over Japan, having sat out the previous match against Canada.

The Toulouse speedster, who will celebrate his 26th birthday on 28 October, did not train this week, with the Springbok coaching staff hoping he would recover in time for Sunday night. 

But Kolbe has been replaced in the starting line-up by S’Busiso Nkosi, above. Nkosi featured on the wing against Namibia and Canada, and scored a try against the Canucks.

That is the only change to the 23-man squad that beat the host nation last weekend, with coach Rassie Erasmus sticking with his ploy of six forwards and two backs among the replacements.

1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Mbongeni Mbonambi
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Lood de Jager
6. Siya Kolisi (capt.)
7. Pieter-Steph Du Toit
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Faf de Klerk
10. Handre Pollard
11. Makazole Mapimpi
12. Damian de Allende
13. Lukhanyo Am
14. S'Busiso Nkosi
15. Willie Le Roux

16. Malcolm Marx
17. Steven Kitshoff
18. Vincent Koch
19. RG Snyman
20. Franco Mostert
21. Francois Louw
22. Herschel Jantjies
23. Frans Steyn

RNS am/icr