Rassie Erasmus Recalls Forgotten Springboks and Names 21 Uncapped Players in Squad

• The Springboks' road to the 2026 international season has officially begun, with a blend of youth and experience set to shape South Africa's plans
• Several emerging stars have been handed an opportunity to impress at the senior level as the national team continues to build depth ahead of future global tournaments
• A handful of familiar faces have returned to the national setup, giving fans plenty to discuss ahead of South Africa's opening fixtures of the year

The Springboks are set to begin their preparations for the 2026 international season with their first training session on Monday, 8 June. This comes after head coach Rassie Erasmus named a 51-man squad featuring 21 uncapped players.

Part of the squad includes several promising youngsters from the Junior Springboks setup, including Junior Boks captain Riley Norton. Uncapped forwards Emmanuel Tshituka, Paul de Villiers and Sibabalwa Mahashe have also earned places in the squad.

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Some experienced players have worked their way back into Erasmus' plans, with two-time Rugby World Cup winners Lukhanyo Am and Faf de Klerk returning to the national setup. The selected group will form the pool from which Erasmus chooses his side for the season-opening warm-up match against the Barbarians on Saturday, 20 June.

Uncapped players earn Springboks call-ups

Among the rookies named in the squad are Yaqeen Ahmed (fly-half/centre), Danie Kruger (prop), Luan Giliomee (utility back), Vusi Moyo (fly-half), Oliver Reid (prop) and Liam van Wyk (hooker).

Also included are Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), Markus Muller (centre) and Zekhethelo Siyaya (utility back), all of whom were part of the expanded Springbok alignment camp squad.

The other uncapped players in the group are utility forward Bathobele Hlekani, prop Hanro Jacobs, centre Jurenzo Julius, scrum-half Imad Khan, hooker JJ Kotze, utility back Jaco Williams and scrum-halves Haashim Pead and Nico Steyn.

Springboks prepare for Nations Championship opener

South Africa is expected to begin their revamped Nations Championship campaign when they host England on 4 July at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Erasmus is set to announce the squad for that fixture on Sunday, 21 June, following the conclusion of the United Rugby Championship.

The Test against England is expected to be a blockbuster encounter and will be followed by matches against Scotland and Wales as the Springboks continue their international campaign.

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Speaking to Briefly News on Sunday, 7 June, after the squad announcement, rugby analyst Thabang Mokoena offered a measured take on Rassie Erasmus’ 51-man Springboks group, saying the selection reflects both long-term planning and immediate Test ambitions.

“This is clearly a squad built with the future in mind,” Mokoena said.

He explained that the size of the group and the number of uncapped players point to a deliberate effort to broaden the national team’s depth ahead of major global tournaments. According to him, the blend of experience and youth suggests a structured transition phase rather than short-term experimentation.

He added that the injection of young talent will raise competition across the board.

“When you bring in that many fresh faces, especially from the Junior Springboks setup, it automatically lifts the intensity in every position,” he said.

Mokoena noted that emerging players will now be forced to compete directly with established internationals, which he believes will strengthen standards within the squad.

Mokoena also pointed to the return of experienced campaigners as a key stabilising factor.

“The experienced players coming back are crucial because they anchor the group,” he said.

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He added that their leadership will be vital in guiding the younger players through the demands of Test rugby, particularly with high-intensity fixtures on the horizon.

Springbok Squad

Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Neethling Fouché (Stormers), Bathobele Hlekani (Lions), Hanro Jacobs (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), JJ Kotze (Stormers), Danie Kruger (Stormers), Sibabalwa Mahashe (Lions), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Siphosethu Mnebelele (Bulls), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Riley Norton (Stormers), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Oliver Reid (Stormers), Evan Roos (Stormers), Emmanuel Tshituka (Sharks), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Liam van Wyk (Sharks), André-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).

Backs: Yaqeen Ahmed (Stormers), Lukhanyo Am (DynaBoars), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), André Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Luan Giliomee (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Jurenzo Julius (Sharks), Imad Khan (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Markus Muller (Stormers), Haashim Pead (Lions), Zekhethelo Siyaya (Sharks), Nico Steyn (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks) and Jaco Williams (Sharks).

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England call up SA-born ex-Junior Bok

Briefly News previously reported that a former Junior Springbok who is now eligible to represent the England rugby union national team could make his international debut against Fiji on 11 July 2026 after being named in the squad on Monday, 18 May.

Source: Briefly News