Springboks squad: Top 14 star one of two new faces added by Rassie Erasmus who admits excitement in group is ‘palpable’
Carlu Sadie and Phepsi Buthelezi called into Springboks squad.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has called in tighthead prop Carlu Sadie and back-row Phepsi Buthelezi to his squad that is preparing in Johannesburg.
The duo will join the camp in the next two days, along with the Stormers players following their return from Dublin where they lost their URC semi-final to Leinster.
The Stormers stars arrived in camp on Monday and Buthelezi, who plays for the Sharks and made his Test debut versus Portugal in 2024, will check in on Monday evening.
Bordeaux star
Sadie, a former Junior Springbok who attended the virtual Springbok alignment camps from France, where he plays for Bordeaux-Bègles, joins the camp on Wednesday.
The Boks kicked off their on-field preparations on Monday for the season-opening double-header between the Springboks and Barbarians, and the SA ‘A’ team v Zimbabwe. Both of those games will take place at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, June 20, before the focus turns to the Nations Championship matches.
“It’s great to be back on the field and to see familiar and new faces in the squad,” said Springboks boss Erasmus, who also addressed the call-ups for Sadie and Buthelezi.
“The excitement in the group to get the season underway is palpable, and we are looking forward to the week ahead. We are also pleased to welcome Phepsi and Carlu to the squad, and we are confident they will slot in with ease.”
Springboks: Rassie Erasmus names extended 51-man squad as 21 uncapped players included
The Springboks squad for the opening leg of the inaugural Nations Championship that sees them face England, Scotland and Wales will be named on Sunday, June 21.
Commenting on the squad over the weekend, Erasmus said: “We named a large group of players as we’ll be selecting a Springbok and SA ‘A’ team for the season-opening double-header in Gqeberha. This will be beneficial in the long term as we build the squad, looking forward to next year’s Rugby World Cup and beyond.
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“There is also an exciting mix of experienced campaigners and young players in this squad, and this formula has worked well for us in the past to ensure a clear pathway to build depth within the group.
“The coaches have been working around the clock to put the systems in place in the last few months, and the in-person and virtual alignment camps have given most of the players a taste of what to expect, so it’s now a matter of implementing what they learned in the boardroom onto the field.
“We are under no illusions about the challenge ahead this season with two matches against the Barbarians and the SA ‘A’ team against Zimbabwe playing out on the same day, which will be followed by two new competitions in the Nations Championship and Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, so it will be important for the group to build cohesion as quickly as possible and make the most of our field sessions and team meetings to be as well prepared as possible when we take the field.”
Springboks 53-man extended squad in full
Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Paul de Villiers (DHL Stormers), Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers), Bathobele Hlekani (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Hanro Jacobs (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), JJ Kotze (DHL Stormers), Danie Kruger (DHL Stormers), Sibabalwa Mahashe (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Ntuthuko Mchunu (DHL Stormers), Siphosethu Mnebelele (Vodacom Bulls), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Riley Norton (DHL Stormers), Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers), Oliver Reid (DHL Stormers), Evan Roos (DHL Stormers), Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux Bègles), Emmanuel Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Liam van Wyk (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)
Backs: Yaqeen Ahmed (DHL Stormers) Lukhanyo Am (DynaBoars), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Luan Giliomee (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Jurenzo Julius (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Imad Khan (DHL Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Markus Muller (DHL Stormers), Haashim Pead (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Zekhethelo Siyaya (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Nico Steyn (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jaco Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
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