Rassie makes surprise squad addition ahead of England Test
NEWS: Springbok loose forward Elrigh Louw has been called up to the national squad for the Nations Championship as additional forward cover and will join his team-mates in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Louw was a surprising omission from the 46-man Springbok squad that was initially announced for the Nations Championship Tests.
He played the last of his 13 Test matches against Wales in November 2024 and spent most of the 2025 season on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury last season.
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#REACTION: The South African Rugby Union is putting on a brave face, as the demand for Test tickets ahead of the international season has slowed down to a trickle. 👇#SouthAfrica #Springboks #England #RSAvENG https://t.co/b25qRRvTAz
— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) June 30, 2026
He returned to the field this year and made a strong impact in the Bulls pack, which earned him a call-up to the Springbok alignment camps, and he will make a welcome return to the wider squad as they begin their inaugural Nations Championship campaign against England at Ellis Park on Saturday.
It’s worth remembering that Louw also missed out on selection for the July Tests in 2024 but went on to feature 10 times for Erasmus’ men.
Following the Test match against England at Ellis Park on Saturday, the Boks face back-to-back clashes against Scotland at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, July 11, and Wales at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on Saturday, July 18.
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