New faces in Springbok squad: Nine uncapped players named for 2025 Tests
Springboks
University of Cape Town rookie winger Ntokozo Makhaza has been called up to the Springbok squad ahead of the 2025 Test season.
Image: BackpagePix
Nine uncapped players were named in the first Springbok squad for the 2025 international season as Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus selected a large group of 54 players for the opening Tests.
The squad that attended the second alignment camp in Cape Town last month remains the same, with five other Boks not selected due to injuries.
In total, Erasmus opted for 30 forwards and 24 backline players.
The world champions start their season on the 28th of June against the Barbarians in Cape Town, before facing Italy in back-to-back Tests in Pretoria (5 July) and Gqeberha (12 July). They will end the mid-year matches with a one-off Test against Georgia in Mbombela (19 July).
The nine uncapped players are Scarlets’ hooker Marnus van der Merwe, Lions duo, prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye and flanker Renzo du Plessis, Bulls utility forward Cobus Wiese, the Stormers’ Neethling Fouché, Vincent Tshituka and Ethan Hooker of the Sharks, Northampton Saints’ eighth man Juarno Augustus, and Varsity Cup start Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT Tigers).
All the available players will join Erasmus and his coaches in camp on Monday 8 June in Johannesburg, while a staggered approach will be taken with those still in action in their respective club competitions. The Boks will start their on-field training on Monday already.
“We were very pleased with the two Springbok alignment camps we hosted, and we are excited to have the luxury of announcing a squad with so much depth and talent,” Erasmus said in a statement.
“Having an expanded squad will not only allow us to have productive training sessions, but it will also bode well for the younger players in the group to learn from the senior players, many of whom are Rugby World Cup champions.
“We take pride in offering talented young players a chance to work first-hand with the coaches and to expose them to standards at international level, and we are excited to see them showcase their skills at the camp.”
Tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, loose forwards Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, and Deon Fourie, and utility prop Trevor Nyakane are the injured Boks missing out on the first Test squad.
Players from the Bulls, Sharks and Leinster, who will contest the United Rugby Championship semi-finals this weekend, and those playing in the English Premiership playoffs for Bath, Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks, are the ones who will join after their commitments.
“We used a total of 50 players last season in an attempt to balance the load on them, while at the same time building towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. With a few more talented youngsters in this group, we hope that they will learn valuable lessons and stake a strong claim for places in what will be a challenging, yet exciting season.”
Springbok Squad
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Renzo du Plessis (Lions), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Neethling Fouché (Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (both Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nché (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Backs:Lukhanyo Am ( Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), André Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (both Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (all Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe (both Lions), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).