Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has announced his national squad for the international season, with the group of 43 players featuring eight uncapped players.
These players are No 8 Evan Roos (Stormers), and flank Elrigh Louw (Bulls), locks Ruan Nortje (Bulls) and Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), utility forward Deon Fourie (Stormers), fullback Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), scrumhalf Grant Williams, and prop Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Sharks).
Springbok squad:
Props:
Thomas du Toit (Sharks)
Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)
Vincent Koch (Saracens)
Frans Malherbe (Stormers)
Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks)
Ox Nche (Sharks)
Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)
Hookers:
Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux)
Malcolm Marx (Spears)
Bongi Mbonambi ( Sharks),
Locks:
Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks)
Eben Etzebeth ( Sharks)
Salmaan Moerat ( Stormers)
Ruan Nortje ( Bulls)
Marvin Orie ( Stormers)
Loose forwards:
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Verblitz)
Maroetzee ( Bulls)
Siya Kolisi ( Sharks)
Elrigh Louw ( Bulls)
Evan Roos ( Stormers)
Kwagga Smith (Júbilo)
Jasper Wiese (Leicester)
Utility forwards:
Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse)
Deon Fourie ( Stormers)
Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves:
Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)
Jaden Hendrikse ( Sharks)
Herschel Jantjies ( Stormers)
Grant Williams ( Sharks)
Flyhalves:
Johan Goosen I Bulls)
Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes)
Handre Pollard (Montpellier Herrault),
Midfielders:
Lukhanyo Am ( Sharks)
Damian de Allende (Munster)
Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
Jesse Kriel (Cannon Eagles)
Outside Backs:
Aphelele Fassi ( Sharks)
Warrick Gelant ( Stormers)
Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon)
Willie le Roux (Verblitz)
Makazole Mapimpi ( Sharks)
Utility Backs:
Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls)
Damian Willemse (Stormers)
“Building squad depth is one of the key areas for us, and it is great to see the number of young players who have put up their hands this season, and we are delighted to invite them to the national squad environment,” said coach Jacques Nienaber.
“It is also good to welcome back some of the experienced players who have been part of our structures for a few years now, and I’m confident they will slot back into set-up with ease.
“We obviously have to wait a little longer for some players to be released from their club commitments, but we are pleased to be able to announce the squad with exactly three weeks to go before our opening Test against Wales.”
Nienaber added: “We now have a bigger training squad, which will allow us to do a lot more at our training sessions, but most importantly it will give us more time to work with these players as we prepare for a challenging international season.”
Looking forward at the second week of the team’s preparation camp, Nienaber said: “The players laid a solid foundation for us to build from last week, and we are looking forward to taking things up a notch next week.
“Every training session and gym session will count as we look to get our structures well in place for the season ahead and to meet the standards we have set for ourselves by the time the Castle Lager Incoming Series kicks off.”
The Boks will kick off their 2022 season with three Tests against Wales on 2, 9 and 16 July before launching into the Rugby Championship, where they will line up against the All Blacks in back-to-back home Tests, which will be followed by a tour to Australia and Argentina. They will then return home for their final Test against the Pumas in Durban in September.
