Potential Bok newbies in 2025
SPOTLIGHT: Following 12 debutants during the 2024 season, Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus could use the 2025 incoming series Tests against Italy and Georgia to blood more players ahead of World Cup 2027.
The Springboks have become known for being brave and sometimes even borderline bonkers – be it in terms of general team selection or doing something like a seven-one forwards heavy bench split in a World Cup Final.
In 2022 the Boks just snuck past Wales at Loftus Versfeld thanks to a late Damian Willemse penalty kick.
A week later in Bloemfontein, there were 19 changes to the Boks’ matchday squad which included debutants Kurt-Lee Arendse, Deon Fourie and Grant Williams who would all go on to be part of the successful 2023 World Cup campaign.
The Boks lost that Test in the final moments as Wales recorded their first and only win on SA soil, but the experience those players gained proved invaluable a year later.
It was a short-term sacrifice that would pay dividends in the long-run.
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This year could see Erasmus select his final group of debutants and keep the squad together to ensure there are three players in each position who can slot in at any stage without compromise.
@rugby365com looks at which players may don the green and gold for the first time in 2025.
Henco van Wyk: Had it not been for an untimely injury, the Lions outside centre might just as well have been part of the newbies in 2024 to make his Test debut.
Van Wyk made a stellar return in a losing cause against Munster and picked up right where he left off.
If he remains injury free, he should be a strong contender to succeed Jesse Kriel and Lukhanyo Am in the No.13 jumper.
David Kriel: Sticking with the centres, one should consider life after Damian de Allende at some stage.
Look no further than David Kriel – comfortable at No.12 or No.13 – Kriel, much like De Allende has been an unsung hero in his position and doesn’t always get the praise they deserve.
André Esterhuizen has been the clear second-choice No.12 for the Boks but it wouldn’t do any harm to give the likes of Kriel a shot in the green and gold.
He also provides a deadly accurate boot to goal as a bonus, having played fullback in his youth days as well.
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JD Schickerling & Ruben van Heerden: The new Stormers lock combination has operated this season as if they have been playing together for years.
Van Heerden could count himself unlucky to not be in the Bok mix in 2024 after topping the tackle stats during the 2023/4 URC season with 225 tackles made.
He is currently much further off in 59th position in terms of tackles made this season, but does boast a 95 percent tackle success rate.
Schickerling, who recently returned to the Stormers following a three-year stint in Japan has been at the heart of the Stormers’ lineouts as well as his general play around the pitch.
The towering lock recently played a huge part in denying the Lions back into the match – making a couple of crucial lineout steals in his red-zone and deservedly getting the player of the match award.
With an aging Eben Etzebeth, Schickerling could be the perfect ‘plug’ to ensure more depth in the lock position – being able to slot in at N0.4 or No.5 and ensuring Etzebeth is managed to be fresh for World Cup 2027 where both could play a very important role.
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Neethling Fouché: The one player who had Ox Nche’s number on more than one occasion.
Not many, if any player has dominated the Ox at any level such as Fouché did.
The rotation between himself and Frans Malherbe has been a smooth one for the Cape side, with the Stormers never dipping in quality despite which one of the two tighthead props are on the pitch.
Fouché could add considerable depth alongside Frans Malherbe, Wilco Louw and Thomas du Toit – with Trevor Nyakane seemingly to slowly fall out of favour with the national selectors.
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