Steyn joins Springbok injury list

Steyn was a member of South Africa's 2007 World Cup-winning team

Francois Steyn has joined South Africa's growing list of casualties ahead of the Lions series.

Steyn, 21, had been lined up as a replacement for full-back Conrad Jantjes, who will miss the three-Test series after breaking his leg.

But the Sharks player is set for six to eight weeks out with a knee injury, with the first Test on 20 June.

Fly-half Butch James will miss the entire series while centre Jean de Villiers may miss the first Test.

Flanker Schalk Burger has a calf injury that requires two weeks' rest while several other players, including Fourie du Preez (calf), Adrian Jacobs (shoulder) and Andries Bekker (rib), are carrying niggles.

606: DEBATE How much will the Boks miss Jantjes?

Western Stormers back Jantjes collided with Waikato's Liam Messam in the opening minutes of their Super 14 encounter on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Jantjes, capped 24 times, was in the Springboks line-up for their victories over Wales, Scotland and England last autumn.

Burger, a key part of Springboks coach Peter de Villiers's back row, was also injured in the Stormers' 28-14 defeat and a scan on Monday confirmed the flanker will miss the remaining two weeks of the season because of a calf injury.

Centre De Villiers has a groin injury but is hoping to recover in time to prove his fitness for Western Province when they play the Lions on 13 June in Cape Town, a week before the first Test in Durban.

The Lions depart on 24 May for their 10-match tour in South Africa and play Test matches in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg.