Rassie Erasmus: These Springbok newcomers impressed me!
07/25/2024 04:14 AM
This week Rassie Erasmus unveiled the latest Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship, with lock Ruan Nortje the only newcomer to the group. Nortje made his Springbok debut against Wales in 2022 and represented the SA 'A' side in November that year.
Meanwhile, all the other players in the 33-man squad featured in the team's opening four Tests of the season against Wales at Twickenham or during the Incoming Series.
Five 2024 debutants were also included in the squad in Jan-Hendrik Wessels (utility forward), Johan Grobbelaar (hooker), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (utility back), Ben-Jason Dixon (utility forward) and Morne van den Berg (scrumhalf).
Interestingly, as Erasmus lauded the younger players in the group, he specifically mentioned those who had done enough to earn another opportunity.
"We were very impressed with the likes of Salmaan Moerat (who became the 66th Springbok captain against Portugal), Dixon, Grobbelaar, Wessels and Feinberg-Mngomezulu when they received a chance to play this season," said Erasmus.
"While this may be a very different challenge to facing Wales, Ireland and Portugal, we have full faith in the players to make another big step-up against the southern hemisphere teams, who play a different type of rugby to the sides we've faced up to now.
"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."
SPRINGBOK SQUAD NAMED BY RASSIE ERASMUS FOR THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
Forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (captain – Racing 92), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Bulls).
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Knights), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Busy season ahead
Erasmus expected a challenging Rugby Championship, and said: "We faced New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final and won by a point, and we all know how tough the competition and rivalry is between the teams.
"Australia are also a quality team, and we've seen historically that are a force to be reckoned at home, while Argentina are a physical and competitive team and always push us to the limit, so we are under no illusions about what lies ahead.
"But we're also excited to launch this new edition of the tournament and test ourselves against the southern hemisphere sides once again."