The uncapped Blitzbok star Ruhan Nel, Vincent Koch (prop), Sbu Nkosi (wing), Lionel Mapoe (centre) and Ivan van Zyl (scrumhalf) have been added to the Springbok squad for their final two Castle Lager Rugby Championship home matches against the Wallabies and the All Blacks.
They will join the 17 players already in camp in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. The Springboks face the Wallabies next Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. They conclude the Castle Lager Rugby Championship with a return fixture against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria a week later.
Nel, who plays outside for DHL Western Province in the Currie Cup, is included amongst the backs alongside Mapoe. Nkosi has recovered from the ankle injury that stopped him from playing in any Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches so far this year.
Front ranker Koch is currently starring for Saracens in England. Meanwhile, Trevor Nyakane (prop, Vodacom Blue Bulls) will continue with his conditioning programme under the supervision of the Springbok conditioning and medical staff over the next two weeks.
Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, said he was excited to welcome back players such as Van Zyl, Mapoe and Nkosi, and to work with Nel and Koch.
“Ruhan comes with a lot of international experience with the Blitzboks and he has performed consistently well for DHL WP, so it will be good to see how he operates in the Bok environment,” said Erasmus.
“Trevor and Sbu have been part of the squad earlier in the year and it’s good to welcome them back, while the players who featured for their provinces in recent weeks all got some valuable game time.”
The Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship home leg against the Wallabies and All Blacks:
Forwards (16):
Schalk Brits
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Eben Etzebeth
Steven Kitshoff
Vincent Koch
Siya Kolisi (Captain)
Wilco Louw
Frans Malherbe
Malcolm Marx
Bongi Mbonambi
Franco Mostert
Tendai Mtawarira
Sikhumbuzo Notshe
RG Snyman
Marco van Staden
Warren Whiteley
Backs (14):
Faf de Klerk
Aphiwe Dyantyi
André Esterhuizen
Elton Jantjies
Willie le Roux
Cheslin Kolbe
Jesse Kriel
Lionel Mapoe
Ruhan Nel
Sibusiso Nkosi
Embrose Papier
Handré Pollard
Ivan van Zyl
Damian Willemse