Junior Boks captain Riley Norton is among six uncapped players in the Springboks’ 46-man squad for the Nations Championship, while two scrumhalves make long-awaited returns.
Twenty-year-old lock Norton impressed for the Boks against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday and is now set for a Test debut in July.
The other uncapped players are prop Carlü Sadie, lock Ruben van Heerden, flank Paul de Villiers, flyhalf Vusi Moyo and wing Jaco Williams.
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The squad also features 12 Vodacom Bulls players who were involved in the URC final, including star scrumhalf Embrose Papier, who earned all of his seven Test caps in 2018.
Bayonne No 9 Herschel Jantjies, who last played for the Boks in 2023, has also been included.
Other notable inclusions are prop Thomas du Toit, who has returned to the Sharks from Bath; Lions fullback Quan Horn, who started at flyhalf for the Boks against the Baa-Baas; and Stormers scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, who has recovered from a knee injury.
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“We are pleased with the quality of the group we have selected, and it’s also exciting to see the next generation of players coming through in Riley, Vusi, Paul, Carlü, Ruben and Jaco,” said Erasmus.
“They all proved against the Barbarians and SA A teams that they have what it takes to play at the highest level, and as coaches, we are fortunate that we’ve had the opportunity to work with them in the last two weeks.
“They are all familiar with the way the Springbok environment operates, the standards expected at this level, and they have shown that they are comfortable in the set-up, so we are excited for them to make this step up.
“Embrose and Herschel have also made a strong statement with their performances this season, and we are looking forward to welcoming them back in the squad.”
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The Bok coach was also confident that the Bulls players would slot back into the system with ease.
“All of the players, with the exception of Embrose, have been in our system in the last few seasons, so they know our structures well, and will have next week to get back into the swing of things, before we begin our proper Test-week preparations.”
The squad will depart for Johannesburg on Sunday morning to resume their training camp, with the Junior Boks players set to join their teammates for their preparations for the showpiece in Georgia, while the other players will return to their respective provincial unions.
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The Boks’ Nations Championship campaign kicks off against England at Ellis Park on 4 July, with clashes against Scotland at Loftus (11 July) and Wales at Kings Park (18 July), before the Boks travel to Buenos Aires to play a one-off Test against Los Pumas (8 August).
On Saturday, the Springboks thrashed the Baa-Baas 80-31 and SA A blanked Zimbabwe 40-0 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
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Springbok squad
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux Bègles), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers).
Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Ruben van Heerden (Stormers).
Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Riley Norton (Stormers), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls).
Scrumhalves: Embrose Papier (Bulls), Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Handre Pollard (Bulls).
Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside and utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Jaco Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers).
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
