Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus named a 36-man squad for their upcoming five-match end-of-year tour.
Erasmus’s selection is dominated by regulars, but there was a surprise newcomer selected in the form of Stormers prop Zachary Porthen.
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There was also a big omission in the form of double Rugby World Cup-winner Bongi Mbonambi who was included on the ‘standby list’, while veteran fullback Willie le Roux missed out on selection altogether.
The 10 players on the standby list also includes uncapped Ulster and former World Rugby U20 Championship Player of the Tournament, Juarno Augustus, and Bulls back Sebastian de Klerk.
Le Roux, now 36, may well have played his 101st and final Test in the green and gold jersey against New Zealand in the 24-17 defeat at Eden Park in Auckland in early September.
Uncapped player
Porthen, who made his Stormers’ United Rugby Championship debut in May and is currently on tour with the team in Italy, is the only uncapped player in the squad, who will depart for London in different groups from their respective franchises and clubs on Saturday and Sunday.
Ben-Jason Dixon (flanker), Johan Grobbelaar (hooker), and Gerhard Steenekamp (prop) will make their first appearances for the team this season, while Jean Kleyn (lock), who suffered an injury during the team’s opening match of the year against the Barbarians, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Edwill van der Merwe (both wings), are all back from injury.
The squad includes 21 forwards and 15 backline players, while the standby list features seven forwards – Augustus (No 8), Neethling Fouche (prop), Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Salmaan Moerat (lock), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), Evan Roos (No.8), and Vincent Tshituka (utility forward) – and three backs in Lukhanyo Am (centre), De Klerk (utility back), and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).
Next Springbok centurion?
Meanwhile, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is in line to become only the ninth South African Test centurion on the tour after picking up his 98th Test cap in the team’s 29-27 victory against Argentina in their final Rugby Championship match in London, earlier this month, which saw South Africa retain their title.
Among the injured players not considered for selection are Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Jean-Luc du Preez, and Aphelele Fassi.
The Springboks will face Japan in the first of five Tests on consecutive Saturdays at Wembley Stadium in London on 1 November, before lining up against France at Stade de France in Paris (8 November), Italy at the Allianz Stadium in Turin (15 November), Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (22 November), and Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (29 November).
Springbok squad for Outgoing Tour
Forwards
Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Spears), Franco Mostert (Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (D-Rocks)
Backs
Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen ( Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Eagles), Manie Libbok (Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Players on standby:
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Ulster), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Evan Roos (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks)
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Sebastian De Klerk (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks)
