The Springboks suffered a setback on the eve of the opening match of their year-end tour, when star number eight Pierre Spies was ruled out with a finger injury.

His place in the tour squad has been taken Sharks loose forward Jean Deysel - although it has not been decided if Deysel will stay home in South Africa with the Test XV or travel to England with the dirt trackers on Tuesday.

Anthony Mackaiser, the media manager for the Bok team, confirmed that Spies underwent surgery on Monday evening, after   he sustained the injury during the Bok practice on Monday afternoon.

"It was decided that he required surgery straight away and he would not have been able to recover in time [for the Test matches against France, Italy and Ireland]," Mackaiser told iafrica.com.

"The nitty-gritty of his [Deysel's] role in the team will be sorted out on Tuesday [before the midweek selection head off to England]," he said.

The loss of Spies is the second big blow to the all-conquering Bok team after their successful campaigns in the Tri-Nations and against the British and Irish Lions.

Flank Juan Smith was also not considered for the tour because of injury. He injured his knee ligament in a freak accident during a break on his farm and won't play again till next year.

Smith may even miss the start of the Super 14 season.

It is also the second time that injury or illness has ruled out Spies before a major venture to France. In 2007 blood clots on the lungs, found during a Bok training camp, ruled Spies out of the World Cup in France.

After a lengthy lay-off he recovered and has become on of the stalwarts in a Bok side that not only beat the B&I Lions this year, but also whitewashed the All Blacks on their way to a Tri-Nations crown.

The Boks also head off to Europe minus two backline starts - Frans Steyn has joined up with Racing Metro in France and Jean de Villiers joined Munster in Ireland.

At least the latest setback has ensured the Test door remains open for openside flank Heinrich Brüssow, who on Monday was named to start for the Dirt Trackers against the Leicester Tigers in the opening tour match at Welford Road, Leicester, on Friday.

With Brüssow in the team to travel to England, while the Test starting XV stays behind in South Africa to prepare for the opening Test against France in Toulouse on November 13, the logic conclusion is that Brüssow will not start in the Test against France.

However, Bok coach Peter de Villiers moved quickly to pour cold water on the suggestions that the midweek players are automatically ruled out of starting places in Toulouse.

With Brüssow in the Dirt Tracker selection and Spies' unfortunate injury setback, the only remaining loose forward from the last Tests - the win over New Zealand in Hamilton earlier this year - is Schalk Burger.

That means the door for Brüssow to force his way back into the starting XV, much like he did against the B&I Lions this year, remains wide open.

Sharks loose forward Ryan Kankowski's name is missing from the matchday 22 for the Leicester encounter, which means he is staying behind to prepare with the starting XV for the French Test. That would have given the Boks a loose forward combination of Kankowski, Burger and Spies in Toulouse.

But that line of thought now has to change and with De Villiers making it clear the Test door has not been shut on Brüssow, the Leicester match takes on new meaning for the openside flank.

De Villiers also made it clear that he needed "some experience" in the team to face the Tigers, considering that all nine uncapped players in the 37-man year-end tour squad will feature at Welford Road.

And Brüssow provides the skills and experience needed in a team with so many newcomers, according to the coach.

The 22 players for the Leicester match includes all nine the uncapped newcomers and Earl Rose, who previously toured as a Springbok but is still to don the Bok jersey.

The side, to be led by Chiliboy Ralepelle who was declared fit on Monday after missing the Currie Cup final with an injury, includes 12 players with Test experience.

They have 186 caps between them, with Danie Rossouw (43), Ruan Pienaar (35) and Olivier (24) the most experienced.

South Africa: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Ruan Pienaar, 9 Heini Adams, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle (captain), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Davon Raubenheimer, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Riaan Viljoen.

Date: Friday, November 6
Venue: Welford Road, Leicester
Kick-off: 19.45 (19.45 GMT, 21.45 SA time)
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Roy Maybank, Robin Goodliffe
TMO: Andrew Turner, Graeme Hughes

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