Confirmed: Time for the Springboks’ team announcement
Confirmed: Time for the Springboks’ team announcement
The Springboks are currently preparing to face Wales in the opening Test of the season at Twickenham this Saturday.
The South African team for the 2024 season-opener will be announced on Tuesday, with the matchday squad set to depart for London on Wednesday night.
It’s also been revealed that this first Test team of the year will be named at a press conference on Tuesday, 18 June, at 12:30pm.
Springboks set to unveil a new-look squad
For this one-off Test, Erasmus has already confirmed that he will mix and match with his selections.
“With a good balance of youth and experience in the squad we will be in a good position to select a quality squad for the Wales Test, and although we plan to blood a few youngsters next week, we are determined to kick-start the season under this new era on a good note and set a strong tone for the Incoming Series, which kicks off against Ireland in Pretoria on Saturday 6 July,” he commented.
Busy season ahead
This Test will be followed by the Incoming Series which features back-to-back Tests against Ireland (ranked second in the world) in Pretoria and Durban (on 6 and 13 July), and a historic first Test against Portugal in Bloemfontein on 20 July.
The Springboks will then turn their attention to the Rugby Championship where they will line up against Australia in Brisbane and Perth (on 10 and 17 August) before facing arch-rivals New Zealand on consecutive weekends in South Africa – in Johannesburg on 31 August and Cape Town on 7 September.
They will then make a short trip to Argentina where they will face the Pumas in Santiago (on 21 September) and then in Nelspruit on 28 September.
This will be followed by the traditional year-end tour featuring Tests against Scotland in Edinburgh (10 November), England in London (16 November) and Wales in Cardiff (23 November).
Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Joseph Dweba, Ben-Jason Dixon (both DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Celimpilo Gumede (Bulls), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Evan Roos (DHL Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Blu Revs), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).
Backs: Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jordan Hendrikse (Emirates Lions), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Masuku (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Emirates Lions), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).