Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed his 54-man Springbok squad with the precision of a seasoned general laying out his battle plans.
But amid the familiar warhorses of two World Cup winning campaigns stand nine gleaming, uncapped swords — sharp, eager, and untested. These rookies may not yet bear the scars of Test rugby, but they’re sharpening their blades for a season set to be as brutal as it is beautiful.
“Having an expanded squad will not only afford us the opportunity to have productive training sessions, but it will also bode well for the younger players in the group to learn from the senior players, many of whom are Rugby World Cup champions,” declared Erasmus
The newcomers
Rugby’s great conveyor belt continues to turn, and this year’s batch of Springbok hopefuls includes names that have thundered across domestic grounds and whispered promises of greatness into selectors’ ears.
Let’s meet the uncapped players in Erasmus’s green-and-gold stable:
- Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets) – A hooker with a farmer’s shoulders and a sprinter’s gas, Van der Merwe is a barnstorming presence, the kind of player who chews through contact like a combine harvester on overdrive.
- Neethling Fouché (DHL Stormers) – A tighthead prop with anvils for hands and a front-row attitude as stubborn as the Table Mountain wind. Fouché has waited in the wings and now eyes his baptism in Bok green.
- Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions) – This mobile 153kg giant brings thunder with every carry, a one-man earthquake in the scrum. Ntlabakanye’s low centre of gravity gives him the gravitational pull of a planet.
- Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls) – With a surname steeped in Bok tradition, Wiese is the younger brother of Jasper and plays like he’s got a chip on both shoulders — one for family pride and one for Springbok dreams.
- Renzo du Plessis (Emirates Lions) – Light on caps but heavy on intent, Du Plessis has been knocking at the door like a flanker with a turnover to steal — relentless, opportunistic, and never far from the action.
- Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – If flair were a currency, Tshituka would be one of the richest men in rugby. A back-rower who glides through traffic like a winger, he brings the x-factor wrapped in pure athleticism.
- Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints) – “Trokkie” by nickname and nature, Augustus doesn’t just carry — he demolishes. His game is a demolition derby, with the ball glued to his hip and defenders in his rearview.
- Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – Hooker has the eye of a sniper and the instinct of a street fighter. A centre who thrives in chaos, he’s rugby’s answer to a jazz solo — unpredictable, electric, and hard to forget.
- Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT) – Plucked from Varsity Cup brilliance, Makhaza is a playmaker with mercury in his boots and magic in his fingertips. His rise is a Cinderella tale — from campus to Bok camp in a heartbeat.
Old bulls and new blood
While 31 players from the victorious Rugby World Cup campaign return — names like Kolisi, Marx, and Etzebeth lending the squad its familiar backbone — the addition of these nine uncapped players is more than symbolic. It’s strategic.
“We take pride in offering talented young players a chance to work first-hand with the coaches and to expose them to standards at international level,” said Erasmus
“And we are excited to see them showcase their skills at the camp.”
It’s clear that Erasmus isn’t simply handing out Springbok gear like party favours. He’s building something — a structure for 2027 and beyond — and each new name is a carefully placed brick in the Bok bastion.
Last season, 50 players wore the jersey. This year, Erasmus hints at further rotation: “With a few more talented youngsters in this group, we hope that they will learn valuable lessons and stake a strong claim for places in what will be a challenging, yet exciting season.”
A staggered start and a Barbarians brawl
Not all players will report for duty immediately. With URC finalists and English Premiership contenders still battling it out, the squad will trickle into Johannesburg from 8 June, beginning preparations for a unique clash on 28 June — a date that will see South Africa face the Barbarians on home soil for the first time.
Cape Town will host this rugby spectacle — a chaotic celebration where the artistry of the Baabaas will meet the fire-forged structure of Erasmus’s Boks. That’s followed by the Castle Lager Incoming Series, with matches against Italy and Georgia offering a grueling test of depth and determination.
The final word
The old warriors bring wisdom, the fresh faces bring hunger with Erasmus at the helm like a rugby alchemist, blending past, present, and future into one potent elixir.
As the international season looms like a looming scrum, one thing’s certain: these uncapped players aren’t just here to carry tackle bags. They’re here to shake the turf, rattle the status quo, and maybe — just maybe — etch their names into South African rugby folklore.
Springbok squad (in alphabetical order):
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Renzo du Plessis (Emirates Lions), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg, Edwilll van der Merwe (both Emirates Lions), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
