Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has recalled several senior players from injury as he named a 43-man training squad for the next phase of the international season, ahead of next month’s Test against Argentina and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand.
Among the experienced Springboks returning are Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi, Handre Pollard, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Canan Moodie, Ethan Hooker, Andre Esterhuizen and Morne van den Berg.
The squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday before Erasmus selects the travelling group for the Rugby Championship clash against Argentina in Buenos Aires on 8 August.
Five players – Ntuthuko Mchunu, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter, Embrose Papier and Jaco Williams – have instead been released to represent their franchises against the All Blacks in the inaugural Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) midweek fixtures.
Erasmus said splitting the group would allow players returning from injury to build fitness while giving others valuable game time.
“We put a lot of thought into how we will manage the entire group of players to give everyone a chance to stake a claim for places in the squad for the RGR series,” Erasmus said.
He added that some players still require match fitness after injury, while others need a break after a demanding run of matches.
“We are limited in the number of players we can take to Argentina, so it makes sense to give everyone a fair chance to compete for spots in the RGR squad.”
The Springbok coach also warned against underestimating Argentina, who defeated South Africa the last time the teams met in Argentina in 2024.
“They are a quality team, and they have proved that in our previous clashes. We know how tough it is to win there, and we intend to take a quality team to Buenos Aires.”
The Springboks will spend a week training in Johannesburg before departing for Argentina.
After that fixture, South Africa’s focus will shift to four Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tests against New Zealand, to be played in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Johannesburg again, and Baltimore in the United States.
