Munster’s CJ Stander, Damian de Allende, RG Snyman and Mike Haley injured after player ‘threw petrol on fire’

World Cup winners Damian de Allende and RG Snyman were named in South Africa’s squad to face the Lions

Munster quartet CJ Stander, Damian de Allende, RG Snyman and Mike Haley have been injured after one of the players “threw petrol on a fire”.

A Munster statement said De Allende and Snyman had suffered “substantial” burns to their legs, hands and face in a “fire pit accident” at the weekend.

In an interview with SuperSport, external-link De Allende explained that the petrol can caught alight and exploded.

Springboks De Allende and Snyman have seen a specialist about their injuries.

Centre De Allende and lock Snyman, both World Cup winners, have been named in the South Africa squad to face the British and Irish Lions.

Stander, who is retiring from rugby at the end of the season, and Haley suffered burns to their hands.

The duo may return to training this week and will have their availability for Friday’s Rainbow Cup game with Zebre reviewed as the week progresses.

‘It could have been a lot worse’

According to De Allende the players were enjoying themselves at a fire pit when “one of the guys decided to pour petrol on the fire”.

“We were just sitting around the fire and one of the boys threw a bit of petrol over the fire and then it caught his hand and he just tried to put it down on the floor and then the whole thing caught alight and exploded,” De Allende told SuperSport.

The players were rushed to hospital but De Allende admitted it could have “been a lot worse”.

“Yeah, that’s what we’ve been saying, they thought it was a lot worse when we went into hospital on Saturday night but when we saw the specialist on Sunday he said it wasn’t as bad as they got told,” De Allende added.

“We should be okay in a few weeks hopefully.”

Munster coach ‘hugely relieved’

“We are hugely relieved that the lads are all ok,” said Munster head coach Johann van Graan in the statement released by Munster on Monday.

“The players have all been treated and are being well looked after with Damian and RG meeting the specialist again later this week to review next steps of their recovery.”

South Africa face the Lions in the first of three Tests on 24 July.