An 18-month doping ban for Asenathi Ntlabakanye and a torn biceps for Morne van den Berg have thrown a major spanner into the Springboks' winter planning.

An 18-month doping ban for Asenathi Ntlabakanye and a torn biceps for Morne van den Berg have thrown a major spanner into the Springboks' winter planning.

A torn biceps has ruled Morné van den Berg out for up to six months, leaving the Lions without their star scrumhalf for next weekend's historic URC quarter-final.