Rassie bolsters Bok squad with a European champion
SQUAD UPDATE: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus will be adding more players to his squad this week.
They will come in the form of two forwards.
On Monday, it was revealed that Phepsi Buthelezi (loose forward) and Carlu Sadie (prop) have been called up and will join the camp in Johannesburg in the next two days, along with the Stormers players following their return from Ireland, where they played in the URC semifinal over the weekend.
The Stormers players arrived in camp on Monday.
Buthelezi, who plays for the Sharks and made his Test debut against Portugal in 2024, will report for duty in Johannesburg on Monday evening.
Sadie, a former Junior Springbok who attended the virtual Springbok alignment camps from France, where he plays for European champions Bordeaux Bègles, will arrive in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
The Boks kicked off their on-field preparations on Monday for the season-opening double-header between the Springboks and Barbarians, and the SA ‘A’ team against Zimbabwe, both at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, June 20.
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No-one likes cold calls from strange numbers, and the same goes for #Springboks wing Edwill van der Merwe – check out the first episode of our new series, A Local Laaitie 🫣#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/dVZAQ1HcWq
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“It’s great to be back on the field and to see familiar and new faces in the squad,” said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus.
“The excitement in the group to get the season underway is palpable, and we are looking forward to the week ahead.
“We are also pleased to welcome Phepsi and Carlu to the squad, and we are confident they will slot in with ease.”
The Springbok squad for the opening leg of the Nations Championship against England, Scotland, and Wales will be announced on Sunday, June 21.
Springbok squad:
Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Bathobele Hlekani (Lions), Hanro Jacobs (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), JJ Kotze (Stormers), Danie Kruger (Stormers), Sibabalwa Mahashe (Lions), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Siphosethu Mnebelele (Bulls), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Riley Norton (Stormers), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Oliver Reid (Stormers), Evan Roos (Stormers), Emmanuel Tshituka (Sharks), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Liam van Wyk (Sharks), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks), Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux-Begles)
Backs: Yaqeen Ahmed (Stormers), Lukhanyo Am (DynaBoars), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Luan Giliomee (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Jurenzo Julius (Sharks), Imad Khan (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Markus Muller (Stormers), Haashim Pead (Lions), Zekhethelo Siyaya (Sharks), Nico Steyn (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks), Jaco Williams (Sharks).
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