Latest news with #CastleLagerRugbyChampionship
The South African
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Rassie Erasmus explains Springbok squad cuts
On Wednesday, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus revealed the squad for the first two Tests of the Rugby Championship, which includes 20 forwards and 17 backline players. The Springboks are set face the Wallabies in Johannesburg on Saturday 16 August, and again a week later in Cape Town on 23 August as they begin their Rugby Championship title defence. Erasmus will announce his squad for the two-match tour to New Zealand in September before making the journey Down Under, where they will face their arch-rivals at Eden Park in Auckland on 6 September, and the Sky Stadium in Wellington on 13 September respectively. The team will wrap up their campaign with Test matches against Argentina in Durban on Saturday 27 September, and in London on 4 October. Nine players have been released, and placed on 'standby', and they are: Lukhanyo Am (centre) – who missed the July Tests due to a knee niggle – Faf de Klerk (scrumhalf), Makazole Mapimpi (wing), Salmaan Moerat (lock), Evan Roos (No 8), Neethling Fouche (prop), and Vincent Tshituka (flanker). Erasmus elaborated on the composition of the squad, saying: 'We probably have three players who can cover each position, which is important in this competition, so it was a thorough process to narrow down the group to 36 players. 'One of our key pillars as a team is to build squad depth, and there is no better way to see what some of the younger players are capable of than to expose them to some of the top teams in the world 'It's always challenging to reduce the squad, especially given how the expanded group of players put up their hands during the Incoming Series, but we always said we would select a smaller, more manageable squad during the Castle Lager Rugby Championship,' added Erasmus. 'This group includes several experienced players and a few younger guys, who grabbed their chances in the last few Tests, so we are pleased with this squad for the first two matches.' Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls). Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers). Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
a day ago
- Sport
- The South African
He's in your head! Rassie follows Wallabies ahead of Rugby Championship clash
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has set his eyes on the team's next test match opponents, Australia's Wallabies. The countries will clash in two Castle Lager Rugby Championship games in Johannesburg and Cape Town next month. As he's done before, Rassie Erasmus has strategically followed the Australian rugby team on his X account. The Springbok coach has made it a habit to keep tabs on the social media posts of his rivals, and quickly discard them after moving on. TikTok account @allthingsrugbytik posted: 'When the Rugby Championship is around the corner and Rassie Erasmus starts following your team on social media… You just know the mind games have officially begun'. @allthingsrugbytik When the Rugby Championship is around the corner and Rassie Erasmus starts following your team on social media… you just know the mind games have officially begun. 😉 #RassieErasmus #MindGames #AllThingsRugby ♬ original sound – AllThingsRugbyTiktok The Springboks will play the Wallabies on 16 August at Ellis Park, in Johannesburg. A week later, they will clash again on 23 August at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. The rival teams last played each other in August in Perth, with SA winning 30-12. The Boks will then take on New Zealand and Argentina in the weeks that follow. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will announce a 36-man squad to face Australia. Image: SA Rugby According to reports, Rassie Erasmus is likely to select a more experienced squad to face the Wallabies in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship. He said in a media briefing following the Springboks victory against Georgia last weekend: 'We'll name 36 guys on Tuesday for the Australia series, and within that squad there'll be one or two guys that we experiment with, but the bulk of that squad will be experienced players who are suited to the way we want to play'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
South Africa name Edinburgh prop in starting XV as any Scotland Six Nations hopes dashed
Boks hand in-form forward his chance against Georgia Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Any Scotland hopes of having Edinburgh Rugby prop Boan Venter available to them next year have hit the rocks after the 28-year-old was selected by South Africa for this weekend's Test match against Georgia. Venter has been with Edinburgh since February 2021 following a move from the Cheetahs and has emerged as an important part of the capital side's pack. He would have become eligible for Scotland on residency grounds in time for the 2026 Six Nations, but any plans for him being part of head coach Gregor Townsend's plans have been dashed after the Springboks handed him his first start. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Venter, who was born in Kimberley, South Africa, was called up by head coach Rassie Erasmus last month as part of a 45-man squad for the summer internationals. Following two wins over Italy - in which Venter played no part - the Boks boss has decided to completely reconfigure his front row for the match on Saturday against the Georgians at Mbombela Stadium. Venter is due to line up alongside Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche, who are also uncapped. Boan Venter has been in good form since moving to Edinburgh Rugby. | SNS Group South Africa captain Siya Kolisi returns to the first XV and on his team selection, Erasmus explained: 'We wanted to make sure that Siya is 100 per cent fit before selecting him, so it's great to have him back in the squad, while Boan, Marnus, and Neethling have been training hard and deserve their chance. 'Marnus and Neethling played against the Barbarians, so they have an idea of what international rugby is about, while Boan has shown great potential at club level and with the squad in the last few weeks, and we are looking forward to seeing him play. 'Building squad depth has been one of our pillars as a squad since 2018, and they are all undoubtedly ready to make the step-up. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We know how passionate and intense this Georgian side is, and they will be determined to make a strong statement, so we selected some experienced players who we would like to get more game time before the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, and a few of the younger players, who have put up their hands another run, so we are pleased with the balance we have in this group. 'Georgia are a tough outfit, and they pride themselves on their physicality and brute force in the collisions, so the set pieces, mauls, and breakdowns will be key areas.
eNCA
16-07-2025
- Sport
- eNCA
Boks tickets prices 'have to come down'
JOHANNESBURG - The Springbok tickets are too expensive for ordinary South Africans. That's according to Sport Minister Gayton McKenzie, who was speaking after his department's budget speech in Parliament. He says they are working with stakeholders to meet the fans halfway. "The Springboks ticket prices will have to come down. Springboks is a national essence," he says. The Boks are gearing up for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title defence against Australia at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg and the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 16 and 23 August. From there they will fly off to to New Zealand for Tests against the All Blacks in Auckland on 6 September and Wellington on 13 September. They will then return back to the mother soil for their final home Test of the year against Argentina at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban on 27 September, before their match with Twickenham in London.
The Herald Scotland
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
South Africa end Boan Venter Scotland Six Nations hopes
He has impressed for the capital side and having joined in 2021 would have qualified to play for Scotland on residency grounds by 2026. But any hopes of having him involved will end when he takes to the field for the Springboks. The Kimberley-born former Cheetahs star was called up last month as part of a 45-man squad for the summer internationals against Italy. But, after not handing Venter any involvement during the two wins, head coach Rassie Erasmus has decided to alter his front row. Venter is due to line up alongside another uncapped duo in Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche. Read more: South Africa will face the Georgians at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. Erasmus explained his team selection: 'We wanted to make sure that Siya is 100 per cent fit before selecting him, so it's great to have him back in the squad, while Boan, Marnus, and Neethling have been training hard and deserve their chance. 'Marnus and Neethling played against the Barbarians, so they have an idea of what international rugby is about, while Boan has shown great potential at club level and with the squad in the last few weeks, and we are looking forward to seeing him play. 'Building squad depth has been one of our pillars as a squad since 2018, and they are all undoubtedly ready to make the step-up. 'We know how passionate and intense this Georgian side is, and they will be determined to make a strong statement, so we selected some experienced players who we would like to get more game time before the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, and a few of the younger players, who have put up their hands another run, so we are pleased with the balance we have in this group. 'Georgia are a tough outfit, and they pride themselves on their physicality and brute force in the collisions, so the set pieces, mauls, and breakdowns will be key areas. 'They also have quality backline players to round off their team, so we need to be sharp in all the departments of our game to ensure that we continue to lift our standards, build momentum, and get the desired result.'
