Boks sweating on Du Preez
The veteran scrumhalf suffered a serious facial injury in his team's 18-20 semifinal loss to New Zealand at Twickenham at the weekend.
Scans taken after the match cleared the No.9 of a fractured cheekbone, but he does have a damaged tooth.
He will also have to wait and see if the swelling goes down before a decision is made if he will play against Argentina at the Olympic Stadium in London this coming Friday.
Asked about his future in the immediate aftermath of the game, a dejected du Preez said: "I don't know if that was my last game.
"I'll see how the injury goes. That was probably my last game."
However, medical opinion is that he should be available.
The Springboks have been given two days off, before they will fit in a couple of training sessions – a full session on Wednesday and the captain's run on Thursday – ahead of Friday's meaningless encounter.
Team doctor Craig Roberts's post match medical report had some other good news as well.
Flank Francois Louw, who received 16 stitches to his forehead for a deep cut, is available for selection.
"That won't keep him out of play, it has healed up and it is fine," Roberts told a media gathering.
Fourie descried the loss to the All Blacks as "a bit emotional and hard to take".
"One line-out, one penalty, one conversion – that's all the difference was," Du Preez said.
"It was so close and the margins are so small, so there is a lot of disappointment.
"We had an opportunity and we didn't take it."
