Blitzbok Kyle Brown has been ruled out of the rest of the World Rugby Sevens Series this season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Brown sustained the injury in South Africa’s semi-final victory over New Zealand at the Cape Town Sevens on Sunday.
South African sevens team doctor Leigh Gordon said the player would undergo surgery today.
A number of injuries picked up in Cape Town were treated this week, but Gordon said none of them were serious.
“Philip Snyman (hand) and Ruhan Nel (hand) underwent scans, but the results showed they were only soft tissue injuries. They will be fit to resume training when the squad assembles early in January,” said Gordon.
Seabelo Senatla also picked up a quadriceps muscle injury, which ruled him out of the final in which the Blitzboks were edged 19-17 by England.
Carel du Preez, who strained a hamstring, and Tim Agaba, who injured his ankle during a warm-up tournament in Namibia last month, are both recovering well, as is Sandile Ngcobo (knee). Their progress will be assessed once the squad meets next month in Stellenbosch.
The next tournament in the series will be played on January 28 and 29 in Wellington, New Zealand.