Erasmus reveals nine uncapped players in first Bok squad for 2025
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus named the same 54 players, including nine uncapped players, who attended the second national alignment camp in Cape Town last month, in a large training squad for the opening stages of the international season.
The season kicks off on June 28 against the Barbarians followed by the Incoming Series.
The squad, which was confirmed on Thursday by SA Rugby, includes 31 World Cup players. The group consist of 30 forwards and 24 backs, while only nine players have yet to don the green and gold jersey on the international stage.
The nine uncapped players in the group are Marnus van der Merwe, Neethling Fouche, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Cobus Wiese, Renzo du Plessis, Vincent Tshituka, Juarno Augustus, Ethan Hooker, and Ntokozo Makhaza.
While Fouche and Hooker were members of the Springbok training squad last season, Tshituka and Augustus had a taste of the senior international structures after being included in the Springbok Showdown Green and Gold squads in 2020.
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With the Bulls, Sharks, and Leinster still in the race for the United Rugby Championship Grand Final, along with their teammates from Bath, Leicester Tigers, and the Sale Sharks, who will contest the Premiership semifinals this weekend, a staggered approach will be adopted to the players joining the camp.
The available players, which include the full Japan-based contingent following the conclusion of their season, will assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday, June 8, and begin their on-field preparations on Monday. The remainder of the players will join the squad as they complete their club commitments.
Five players, meanwhile, were not considered for selection due to injuries: Frans Malherbe, Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Deon Fourie and Trevor Nyakane.
“We were very pleased with the two Springbok alignment camps we hosted, and we are excited to have the luxury of announcing a squad with so much depth and talent,” said Erasmus.
“Having an expanded squad will not only allow us to have productive training sessions, but it will also bode well for the younger players in the group to learn from the senior players, many of whom are World Cup champions.
“We take pride in offering talented young players a chance to work first-hand with the coaches and to expose them to standards at international level, and we are excited to see them showcase their skills at the camp.”
Erasmus added: “We used a total of 50 players last season in an attempt to balance the load on them, while at the same time building towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia, and with a few more talented youngsters in this group, we hope that they will learn valuable lessons and stake a strong claim for places in what will be a challenging, yet exciting season.”
The squad will train from Monday to Friday, before returning home for the weekend to spend time with their families. They will reassemble on Sunday, June 15 for the second week of training, before travelling to Cape Town for the Barbarians match.
The Springboks will meet the Barbarians in their first encounter on South African soil in Cape Town on Saturday, June 2 which will be followed by back-to-back Tests against Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha on July 5 and 12, and Georgia in Nelspruit a week later on July 19.
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Springbok squad:
Forwards: Juarno Augustus, Lood de Jager, Renzo du Plessis, Jean-Luc du Preez, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Neethling Fouche, Cameron Hanekom, Jean Kleyn , Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Tshituka, Marco van Staden, Marnus van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese, Jasper Wiese.
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Faf de Klerk, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Quan Horn, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Ntokozo Makhaza, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwilll van der Merwe, Damian Willemse, Grant Williams.
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