Unlucky Wallabies backrower Scott Higginbotham is set to be ruled out of Saturday’s Test against South Africa with a back injury.
Higginbotham, who was named on the bench to face the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld, injured his back when skipper Nathan Sharpe landed on him during a training drill on Thursday.
The Queenslander failed to train at all at their final captain’s run, undergoing physio treatment.
While the Wallabies have yet to put a final red line through his name, he’s rated highly unlikely to play.
Reds teammate Mike Harris will come into the team, adding another back to the bench.
It continues a horror run for Higginbotham in South Africa.
Two years ago Higginbotham was shattered when he was forced out of his planned Test debut in Pretoria after he pulled up sore with back spasms in the warm-up.
And earlier this week he was laid low after being hit by a gastro bug that affected six players.
Meanwhile South Africa have made some late changes to their line-up, losing experienced inside centre Francois Steyn after he failed a late fitness test on his ankle injury.
Captain Jean de Villiers will shift to No.12 with Lions youngster Jaco Taute set to make his international debut at outside centre.
Juan de Jongh will takes Taute’s place on bench.
Prop Coenie Oosthuizen has also been ruled out with neck and shoulder soreness and has been replaced on the bench by Pat Cilliers.
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