Erasmus recalls World Cup winners and increases squad side for All Blacks tests

By Ayanda Nyuswa

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has increased the size of his squad from 33 to 37 players for the Rugby Championship clashes at home against the All Blacks. World Cup winners Jaden Hendrikse (Scrum half), Steven Kitshoff (Prop) and Canaan Moodie (Wing) have returned from injury and back in contention for the All Blacks tests. Loose forward Jasper Wiese and midfielder Andre Esterhuizen have also returned to the squad after serving their respective suspensions. Lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, who plies his trade for French Top 14 side Montpellier, has been recalled to the Springbok squad for the first time since 2021 to add depth in the lock department that has injuries to the likes of Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager and Jean Kleyn. Scrum half Morne van den Berg and hooker Johan Grobbelaar have been released from the squad and will join players who are on the standy list.

The Springboks will face the All Blacks at the Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on 31 August, and move over to Cape Town at the DHL Stadium a week later on 7 September. Rassie Erasmus-led side sits at the top of the Rugby Champioship standings after two bonus-point wins over Australia down under, and will be looking to extend that lead and capture their first Rugby Championship title since 2019.

Full Squad:

Forwards:

Thomas du Toit (Bath), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (c) (Racing 92), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).

Backs:

 Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls).

Picture: Getty images