JOHANNESBURG - Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye is not going to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
An 18-month ban for breaking anti-doping rules has dashed his World Cup dream.
It rules him out of the tournament, as he will only return to action in November next year.
He tested positive for a banned substance in 2025 that a doctor had prescribed to him.
Ntlabakanye dug himself into a deeper hole when he declared he was using DHEA, believing it was allowed. The Lions star has 21 days to appeal.
Ntlabakanye’s last game for the Lions came in a defeat to Leinster in the United Rugby Championship.