Springboks Squad Named for Rugby Championship Clashes Against Argentina
- Rassie Erasmus has announced the Springboks squad for the final two matches of the 2025 Rugby Championship
- Several key players remain sidelined due to injuries, but the squad has been training together for weeks
- Building on their Freedom Cup triumph over the All Blacks, the Springboks aim to maintain their position near the top of Group C
Head coach Rassie Erasmus has named the Springboks squad to face Argentina in the final rounds of the 2025 Rugby Championship.
Riding high after retaining the Freedom Cup on 13 September with a 43-10 victory over the All Blacks in Wellington.
The Boks will take on the Pumas in Durban on 27 September and then travel to London for the match on 4 October.
Source: Getty Images
The 33-man squad largely retains the players who toured New Zealand, with 18 forwards and 15 backs set to assemble in Durban for training ahead of the crucial matches.
Which Key Players Are Missing Due to Injury?
Erasmus confirmed that several key players are unavailable due to injuries. Among them are Lood de Jager (lock), Jean-Luc du Preez (loose forward), and Aphelele Fassi (fullback), all of whom were injured during the New Zealand tour.
Additional absences include Gerhard Steenekamp and Frans Malherbe (props), Salmaan Moerat (lock), and Kurt-Lee Arendse (utility back), who have been sidelined for various durations over the past few months.
Further medical assessments are scheduled for Thursday, which could see three more players added to the squad.
Siya Kolisi will captain the squad. Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard and Pieter Steph Du Toit are some of the senior players who make up the list of players.
How has the squad been shaped for the Pumas challenge?
Erasmus highlighted that the squad had been training together for over 13 weeks, which he believes has prepared them to face Argentina.
He explained that the team had rotated extensively this season, using 46 players across the last eight matches, including the Barbarians fixture. Training together almost daily, he said, has given the coaching staff confidence that the selected players can deliver the best chance of retaining the title.
As seen in the tweet below:
He added that the combination of younger and more experienced players has been particularly beneficial, paying dividends in recent performances.
Erasmus also noted that while many other players have been part of the system and attended alignment camps in recent seasons, only a limited number could be selected for these matches. The coaching team will continue monitoring other players for future opportunities.
Source: Getty Images
Where do the Springboks stand in the Rugby Championship?
As it stands, the Wallabies lead the group heading into their round against the All Blacks, who sit third. The Springboks are second on 10 points, level with the All Blacks, making the upcoming fixtures crucial for their championship ambitions.
Go through the list of the squad below:
Heyneke Meyer in talks for return to SA rugby
Briefly News previously reported that Former Springboks head coach Heyneke Meyer could be on the verge of a coaching comeback in South Africa, with negotiations reportedly at an advanced stage.
The move would see the 57-year-old reconnect with familiar territory, a union that shaped the early part of his provincial career.
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Source: Briefly News
