Springbok coach Allister Coetzee is set to recall veteran flanker Francois Louw ahead of the home Tests against Australia and New Zealand.

The Boks are already without loose forwards Warren Whiteley and Duane Vermeulen. Jaco Kriel sustained a shoulder injury in the recent match against Australia and missed the clash against New Zealand as a result.

Coetzee may need to call for reinforcements from abroad. Louw, who has been in good form for English club Bath this season, may feature in the coming clashes against the Wallabies and All Blacks.

‘The fetching role is quite crucial. We will be looking at what we have back home and if we don’t have [anyone] we will be looking at players who have been part of this squad last year and who were part of the team at the beginning of the year, for example Francois Louw,’ Coetzee told SuperSport.com.

Louw underwent shoulder surgery in May and was thus unavailable for the Tests against France in June. He told the Bath Chronicle that he has already been sounded out about rejoining the Bok squad.

‘I am on standby,’ the 52-cap flanker said. ‘Whether or not they decide to use me is another story. Obviously there have been a couple of injuries, but I think they’ve got enough good men there to do a good job.’

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