Springboks squad: Siya Kolisi returns as Rassie Erasmus adds two uncapped players for Ireland series
Rassie Erasmus has named his Springboks squad for the Test series against Ireland in South Africa.
Rassie Erasmus has announced his 39-man Springboks squad for the upcoming Test series against Ireland on home soil.
The Springboks return to South Africa ahead of their first home Tests since sealing back-to-back World Cup titles and having defeated Wales 41-13 in their first international of the year.
Siya Kolisi returns for Ireland series
Following the conclusion of the United Rugby Championship, Erasmus is now able to call upon Bulls players for the first time and has included six of Jake White’s charges in his squad, as well as Leinster-bound lock RG Snyman.
Premiership players are also now available to him, and in-form Bath prop Thomas du Toit has earned a recall to the squad for the upcoming Tests.
Double Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks captain Siya Kolisi is also recalled after finishing up his first season in France with Racing 92 and is joined by Cobus Reinach, who helped Montpellier retain their Top 14 status.
Erasmus has called up two uncapped players into his squad in the form of Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar and front-rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Meanwhile, Edwill van der Merwe, Ben-Jason Dixon and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu all remain in the squad after debuting against Wales. Morne van den Berg and Phepsi Buthelezi are the other uncapped players in the group who have been retained.
Injuries
Winger Cheslin Kolbe and centre Lukhanyo Am, who joined the Springbok squad at different stages during the training camp in Pretoria to do their rehabilitation under the supervision of the Bok medical team, are now back from injury and in contention for the Tests this July.
Meanwhile, the confirmed injury list includes eight players who will miss the series, and they are: Steven Kitshoff, Jean Kleyn, Lood de Jager, Cameron Hanekom, Jaden Hendrikse, Henco van Wyk, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse.
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Erasmus has also named a standby list, which includes six capped Springboks.
“We named the best squad available for the Castle Incoming Series, and with squad depth being one of our key pillars as we build toward to the 2027 Rugby World Cup and the Test against Portugal, we thought it would be beneficial to us to name a standby squad with a few players who will join us at training sporadically in the next few weeks,” said Erasmus.
“Unfortunately, a handful of players are carrying injuries and were ruled out of the selection mix, but our plan to build depth in the last few years and expose players to Test rugby in the build-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup and against Wales last weekend certainly paid off.”
Erasmus explained that the standby squad could come into the selection mix for the Test against Portugal.
“We have a jam-packed three weeks lined up with training and the Ireland Test Series, and we’ll look at bringing in the standby players intermittently within the next few weeks to train with us and continue to familiarise themselves with our systems, especially with an eye on the Portugal Test,” the head coach revealed.
He added: “This year marks the start of building toward to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, so we would like to continue exposing players to international rugby with an eye on that objective.”
Springboks squad
Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi, Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Jasper Wiese
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Faf de Klerk, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Wilie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams
Standby list
Forwards: Jean-Luc du Preez, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Celimpilo Gumede, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ruben van Heerden, Andre-Hugo Venter
Backs: Suleiman Hartzenberg, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Quan Horn, Siya Masuku
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