Kolisi back to lead Boks in Rugby Championship as 33-man squad named
The Springboks begin their Rugby Championship campaign against Australia in Brisbane on 10 August and then again in Perth a week later.
FILE: South Africa captain Siya Kolisi returned to action as the Webb Ellis trophy holders overwhelmed Wales 52-16 in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match in Cardiff on 19 August 2023. Picture: @Springboks/X
JOHANNESBURG - The Springboks have named a 33-man squad for the Rugby Championship starting in August.
Double Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi returns to lead the side after he and a number of frontline players were given time off and missed the Test against Portugal.
Coach Rassie Erasmus has selected a number of players who impressed in that 64-21 win in Bloemfontein, including prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels, hooker Johan Grobbelaar, flank Ben-Jason Dixon and scrumhalf Morne van den Berg. The only newcomer to this year’s Bok group is lock Ruan Nortje, who made his Springbok debut against Wales in 2022.
"This is a quality group of players, which includes a mixture of youth and experience, and we believe this is the best group of players we could select for this tough assignment in the Rugby Championship," said Erasmus.
Loose forward Evan Roos, who started in the matches against Wales in June and against Portugal, is a notable omission from the squad.
"As always, there are a number of unlucky players, but we could only select a squad of 33 to travel to Australia. The players excluded from the squad will be available for selection for their respective clubs, but we explained to them before we departed Bloemfontein that this squad is not necessarily the same group that will be selected for the matches against New Zealand and Argentina, so they have been put on specialised conditioning programmes to ensure they are ready should they get the call-up," said Erasmus
Other players who weren’t considered for selection either through injury due to ongoing recovery from injuries include Jean Kleyn, Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert, Steven Kitshoff, Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Herschel Jantjies, Canan Moodie, Edwill van der Merwe and Damian Willemse.
Jasper Wiese is suspended, while Andre Esterhuizen awaits a disciplinary hearing after being sent off in the third minute against Portugal.
The Springboks begin their Rugby Championship campaign against Australia in Brisbane on 10 August and then again in Perth a week later.
They’ll return to South Africa to play back-to-back matches against New Zealand on 31 August in Johannesburg, and 7 September in Cape Town.
Those games will be followed by a fixture against Argentina in Santiago on 21 September, before wrapping up the tournament in Nelspruit against Argentina on 28 September.
The Rugby Championship squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday for a short preparation camp before departing for Australia on 31 July.
Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship (in alphabetical order):
Forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (captain), Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Manie Libbo, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams.