VIDEO: Bok lifeline for capricious Nkosi

South Africa's Director of Rugby Johan Erasmus has thrown a lifeline to capricious and out-of-favour Springbok Sibusiso Nkosi.

The 2019 World Cup winner, Nkosi, had his contract with the Bulls torn up after going AWOL for a second time since he joined them last year.

He had previously ran into similar issues with the Sharks, where he also failed to turn up for training and was also sent home early from the Bulls' United Rugby Championship tour to Ireland in October last year.

Nkosi then disappeared from the Bulls camp last December, triggering a nationwide search.

He was found at the home of his father in a suburb of Witbank in the province of Mpumalanga, after lengthy and extensive efforts from the Bulls, in collaboration with a security company – who have gone beyond their commercial responsibility.

Nkosi had been absent without leave for three weeks at the time.

The player admitted he had mental health challenges.

However, Erasmus is not willing to give up on the mercurial flyer just yet.

"Looking at his age and how well he played for us [the Springboks], we just hope, as soon as possible, we could see him somewhere on a field to rate his play and make him a [Bok] contender again," Erasmus said.

Erasmus said they would like - as they do with all players - compare him with the other national team contenders, regardless of which competition they play in.

(WATCH as South Africa's Director of Rugby Johan Erasmus gives his take on the latest chapter in the protracted Sibusiso Nkosi saga...)

"Hopefully he stays in South Africa and that would be fantastic," he said, adding: "If he goes abroad - the French Top 14 or Japan - that is okay because he has been in our system.

"We'll be able to judge how he is doing there."

Erasmus said he did not want to talk about Nkosi's personal circumstances or what led to his recent exit from the Bulls.

"I don't know the ins and outs of his life.

"I just hope as soon as possible we see him [playing] somewhere, to rate him against the guys in the Springbok team - so we can consider him."

The SARU boss expressed his 'best wishes' for the troubled 27-year-old.

Erasmus said there are 'a lot of people struggling' with a lot of things within the Bok set-up.

"I'm not talking about Sbu [Nkosi] specifically," he said, adding: "Some is [public] knowledge and some is not [public] knowledge.

"Some players are handling themselves, some if it we are involved in and others are getting professional help."

The Director of Rugby said you must see the players as people and their personal lives should not always be out there for public consumption.

"I want to get him back on the fields and hope he is okay.

"Where we can assist - on-field or off-field - be that getting him a contract or playing somewhere, we will do it.

Nkosi played the last of his 16 Tests when he started on the right wing against New Zealand on the Gold Coast in October 2021.