South Africa will play Japan on 24 July in the Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium in Iwate, and on 30 July in Kumagaya Rugby Stadium in Saitama.

The three players sustained injuries at the team’s final training camp at the HPC in Pretoria and were ruled out on Wednesday. Jordaan (flyhalf) sustained an ankle injury, Mathe (lock) a shoulder injury and Hanekom (hooker) has a troublesome knee.

Only Mathe will be replaced for this trip though, with Catha Jacobs being drafted back into the squad. Jacobs was doing rehabilitation for an ankle injury and will complete her return to play in the first week of the tour, which starts on 19 July when the squad depart South Africa.

The 24-year-old Jacobs last played for the Springbok Women during their November tour to Europe last year, after which she joined Saracens in England, where she was a regular starter for the club in their Allianz Premiership campaign.

Jacobs picked up an ankle injury in the latter stages of the competition and was not considered to the Premiership final, won by Saracens. She linked up with the Bok Women in Cape Town last month during the Rugby Africa Women's Cup.

For coach Stanley Raubenheimer, there was some good news with regards to the recovery of the injured players.

“It is never nice to lose a player to injury just before you go on tour, but those things happen,” said Raubenheimer.

“We are relieved that the injuries are not as bad as feared and they should be available again for selection for our two Tests against Spain in August. We wish them a speedy recovery and trust that their rehabilitation will go well and according to plan.”