By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Rassie Erasmus has announced a 54-man Springbok squad which include nine uncapped players for the start of the world champions’ 2025 season.
The Boks face the Barbarians at Cape Town Stadium on 28 June, followed by three Tests – against Italy (in Pretoria and Gqeberha on 5 and 12 July) and Georgia (in Nelspruit, 9 July).
The squad, which was confirmed on Thursday, includes 31 World Cup winners and consists of 30 forwards and 24 backs.
Winger Ntokozo Makhaza, who helped the UCT Ikeys win the 2025 Varsity Cup in April, is in line to represent the Boks for the first time with Marnus van der Merwe, Neethling Fouche, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Cobus Wiese, Renzo du Plessis, Vincent Tshituka, Juarno Augustus and Ethan Hooker.
While Fouche and Hooker were members of the Springbok training squad last season, Tshituka and Augustus had a taste of the senior international structure.
Five players, meanwhile, were not considered for selection due to injuries: Frans Malherbe, Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Deon Fourie and Trevor Nyakane.
“We used a total of 50 players last season to balance the load on them, while at the same time building towards the 2027 Rugby 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,” said Erasmus.
The squad will train from Monday to Friday, before returning home for the weekend to spend time with their families, and will reassemble on Sunday, 15 June for the second week of training, before travelling to Cape Town for the Barbarians match.
Full Springbok Squad:
Forwards: Cameron Hanekom, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Bulls), Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Neethling Fouche, Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Renzo du Plessis, Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams (Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie (Bulls), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (Stormers), Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe (Lions), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk, Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT).