Rugby-Bok centre De Allende allays injury fears after fire pit explosion

(Reuters) - South Africa centre Damian de Allende has played down fears he could miss the British & Irish Lions series after he was burned in a fire pit accident on Saturday along with three other Munster team mates.

De Allende and Springbok lock RG Snyman were with Irish internationals Mike Haley and CJ Stander when petrol was poured onto the fire, causing an explosion.

World Cup winners De Allende and Snyman sustained burns to their legs, hands and face, but after treatment in hospital the Bok centre says there are no fears of him missing the Lions series.

"We were just sitting around the fire and one of the boys threw a bit of petrol over (it) and then it caught his hand," De Allende told South Africa's SuperSport.com on Tuesday, without revealing the culprit.

"He just tried to put it (the petrol can) down on the floor and then the whole thing caught alight and exploded.

"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. We should be okay in a few weeks."

De Allende is an integral part of the Bok side and would be a big miss.

Snyman is already a doubt for the series as he recovers from a long-term knee injury, but was included in the 46-man squad named by coach Jacques Nienaber on Saturday.

South Africa play the Lions on three consecutive Saturdays from July 24.

(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Christian Radnedge)