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Cape Town - Lions captain Warren Whiteley will not face the Stormers in Saturday’s Super Rugby clash at Newlands and it's unlikely that he'll take part in the Springboks' upcoming Tests against Wales and England.
There was hope that the No 8 could be picked for this weekend's South African derby when he took full part in a Lions training session at the Johannesburg stadium on Tuesday.
However, a Lions spokesperson told Sport24 on Wednesday that Whiteley was not yet ready to return to action.
"He's still out for two to three weeks," the spokesperson said..
Whiteley has been out of action for most of the Super Rugby season since injuring his knee back in March.
This also leaves his participation for the Springboks’ upcoming Tests against Wales and England in serious doubt.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will name a 40-man Springbok squad after Saturday’s game at Newlands and it now looks unlikely that Whiteley will be picked.
Of that 40-man squad, 26 players will travel to America for a clash against Wales in Washington DC on June 2.
The other 14 players will stay behind to prepare for the three-Test home series starting against England the following week.
Whiteley was also a strong contender for the Springbok captaincy.
