South Africa prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been banned for 18 months due to an anti-doping rule violation, ruling the player out of the 2027 Rugby World Cup . The 27-year-old had declared using the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) before routine testing in 2025, believing it was allowed, but has been banned by an Independent Doping Tribunal Panel. It was prescribed to Ntlabakanye by a specialist and “taken with the approval and the supervision of a medical doctor specifically appointed to manage the medical affairs of professional rugby players,” South African Rugby said in a statement last year. His club, the Lions confirmed that the ​ban, ⁠pending an appeal, came ‌into force from 13 May this year. “Lions Rugby Company confirms that it has received communication from the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) regarding the decision to sanction Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye for a period of 18 months following an anti-doping rule violation,” a Lions statement said.…