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The South African
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Springboks: Big omissions for start of Rugby Championship
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus selected a 37-man squad for the first two Tests in the Rugby Championship against Australia, featuring 24 Rugby World Cup-winners and five players who made their Test debuts during their successful Incoming Series. The Bok coach also invited three Young Guns, who were members of the triumphant Junior Springbok World Rugby U20 Championship squad – Bathobele Hlekani, Cheswill Jooste, and Haashim Pead – to train with the group during their two-week conditioning camp in Johannesburg starting on Sunday 27 July, to orientate them into the Springbok culture. The five players who earned their first Springbok Test caps in July are Ethan Hooker (utility back), Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Boan Venter (both props), Marnus van der Merwe (hooker), and Cobus Wiese (utility forward). Meanwhile, Bath prop Thomas du Toit has been granted a compulsory two-week rest as agreed with the Premiership, although he is eligible to be called up at any stage should the need arise, while No 8 Jasper Wiese is currently serving a four-week suspension, ruling him out of this squad. A handful of players, in turn, have been released to their respective franchises to build up game time in the Currie Cup competition, although a few of them have been placed on standby for the Wallaby Tests. The standby players 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). In total, Erasmus' squad includes 20 forwards and 17 backline players. The Springboks will face the Wallabies in Johannesburg on Saturday 16 August, and again a week later in Cape Town on 23 August. Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Tests against Australia: Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets 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 (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers).
TimesLIVE
24-06-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Erasmus names four uncapped players in Bok team to face Barbarians
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday named four uncapped players in a quality team to face the Barbarians for the Qatar Airways Cup at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, in South Africa's opening match of the international season. Prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and flanker Vincent Tshituka have been named in a relatively experienced starting line-up. Hooker Marnus van der Merwe and prop Neethling Fouche will feature alongside a few Rugby World Cup-winners and seasoned campaigners on the replacements' bench. Another notable inclusion in the starting team was Lood de Jager, who will partner up with Jean Kleyn in the engine room. The experienced lock is back for his first Test since the Springboks' 2023 Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks in New Zealand, which was his only Test in the last two seasons after a string of injuries. Players from the Bulls, plus lock RG Snyman and flyhalf Handré Pollard, only joined the squad last week after their involvement in the United Rugby Championship and Gallagher Premiership finals. As a result, only Bulls utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been included in the match-23 from this group of players.
The South African
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
BREAKING: Springboks name first team of the year
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. Image: BackpagePix Home » BREAKING: Springboks name first team of the year Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. Image: BackpagePix Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday named four uncapped players in a quality team to face the Barbarians. Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop) and Vincent Tshituka (flanker) have both been named in a relatively experienced starting lineup, while Marnus van der Merwe (hooker) and Neethling Fouche (prop) will feature alongside a few Rugby World Cup-winners and seasoned campaigners on the replacements bench. Another notable inclusion in the starting team was Lood de Jager, who will partner up with Jean Kleyn in the engine room. The experienced lock is back for his first Test since the Springboks' 2023 Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks in New Zealand, which was his only Test in the last two seasons following a string of injuries. Players from the Bulls players, as well as RG Snyman (lock), and Handre Pollard (flyhalf), only joined the squad last week following their involvement in the United Rugby Championship and Premiership finals. As a result, only Bulls utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been included in the match-23 from this group of players. The squad assembled in Cape Town on Sunday afternoon after two weeks of training in Johannesburg and started their on-field match preparations on Monday. They were also joined by utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has recovered from his injury, taking the size of the squad to 46 players. 15 Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 11 caps, 35 points (7t)14 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 40 caps, 111 points (18t, 3c, 5p)13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 79 caps, 90 points (18t)12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 87 caps, 55 points (11t)11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 90 points (18t)10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 8 caps, 52 points (14c, 8p) 9 Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 2 caps, 0 points 8 Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks) – 14 caps 10 points (2t)7 Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – uncapped6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 92 caps, 60 points (12t)5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 66 caps, 25 points (5t)4 Jean Kleyn (Munster) – 7 caps, 0 points3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions) – uncapped2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 76 caps, 105 points (21t) 1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 39 caps, 0 points Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets) – uncapped17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 5 points (1t)18 Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers) – uncapped19 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 78 caps, 20 points (4t)20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 51 caps, 45 points (9t)21 Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 39 caps, 70 pts (14t)22 Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 19 caps, 98 pts (1t, 30c, 11p) 23 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 19 caps, 0 points Springbok record against the Barbarians: Played 8, Won 3; Lost 4; Drawn 1. Points for: 150; Points against: 154; Tries Scored 23; Tries conceded 29; Highest score: 41; Biggest win 14 points. Win % 38%. 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.
