Frans Steyn and Morné Steyn are in line to experience the
rare honour of facing the British & Irish Lions for a second time after
being named in a dynamic Springbok squad featuring several Rugby World Cup
winners and exciting uncapped players for the Castle Lager Lions Series and
Georgia internationals.
Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, announced the
squad on Saturday, 5 June that will do duty for the first time since the Springboks
lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan on 2 November 2019, with 29 Rugby World Cup
winners and eight uncapped players in the 46-man squad.
The Springboks will line up against Georgia on successive
Fridays, 2 and 9 July, before battling it out against the British & Irish
Lions in three Tests on 24 and 31 July, and 7 August respectively.
The South Africa “A” team, which will comprise of players
from this squad, will also meet the Lions on Wednesday, 14 July.
Apart from Morné Steyn (flyhalf) – who kicked the penalty
goal that clinched the series win in 2009 – and Frans Steyn (centre), both of
whom were key members of the Springbok team during the 2009 campaign, this
year’s extravaganza will have extra significance for Duane Vermeulen (No 8),
who was a member of the Emerging Springbok team that season.
The entire 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, except for
the retired trio of Tendai Mtawarira, Francois Louw and Schalk Brits, and the
injured Warrick Gelant, were named in Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber’s
squad.
The eight
uncapped players are Joseph Dweba (hooker), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (lock),
Jasper Wiese (loose forward), Sanele Nohamba (scrumhalf), Wandisile Simelane
(centre), Yaw Penxe, Rosko Specman (both wings) and Aphelele Fassi (fullback).
Seven
players in the squad boast 50 or more Test caps, with Eben Etzebeth leading the
pack with an impressive 85 Caps, while Morné Steyn – who last featured in the
green and gold in 2016 – headlines a list of 10 players who will make a welcome
return to the Springbok squad.
“The
British & Irish Lions tour occurs once every 12 years so it’s a very
special occasion,” said Alexander.
“In most
instances, it comes around only once in a Springbok player’s career, so I would
like to congratulate the players who have been selected and wish them luck as
they prepare to defend their crown.
“The
rivalry between the Springboks and the Lions has been fierce, but it is also
characterised by a tremendous respect. As the excitement and anticipation
builds in South Africa and the United Kingdom for the spectacle, I would also
like to express our gratitude to our valued partners for their magnificent support
as we continue to navigate our way through these extraordinary times.”
SA Rugby
Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, said the selection of the squad
followed a detailed process, including several alignment camps both locally and
abroad, as well as visits by the Bok coaching staff to the various local
franchise teams.
“We have been keeping a close eye on the players’
performances since professional rugby resumed late last season and we followed
that up with a series of alignment camps and franchise visits,” said Erasmus.
“We have put together a very talented group of players, and
we believe the vast experience in the group will complement the exciting bunch
of youngsters.
Nienaber, who will make his first appearance as Springbok
head coach when the team take the field, echoed Erasmus’ sentiments about the
quality of the squad, and he looked forward to a memorable start to the
international season.
“It is a surreal feeling to name a Springbok squad after
such a long absence from international rugby, and the fact that these players
will have a chance to measure themselves in such a special tour makes it even
more remarkable,” said Nienaber.
“Players such as Frans and Morné have been here before and
they can attest to the huge privilege it is to be part of a British & Irish
Lions tour, so I am very excited for this squad.
“The squad feature a bunch of Rugby World Cup-winners who
know what it takes to perform and be successful at the highest level, as well
as a handful of very talented young players who all proved that they deserve an
opportunity at this level.”
Nienaber added: “A huge challenge lies ahead, and the fact
that we will be taking on this task after a 20-month absence from international
rugby means we need to hit the ground running.
The team will kick off their preparations on Monday with a
three-week conditioning camp in Bloemfontein. The locally-based players will
assemble at their base on Sunday, with the overseas-based players joining in
clusters according to their club commitments.
The squad will be trimmed following the encounter between
the South Africa ‘A’ team and British & Irish Lions.
Springbok
squad:
Props:
Thomas du
Toit (Cell C Sharks, 12 caps, 0 pts)
Steven
Kitshoff (DHL Stormers, 47 caps, 5 pts)
Vincent
Koch (Saracens, 21 caps, 0 pts)
Frans
Malherbe (DHL Stormers, 38 caps, 5 pts)
Ox Nché
(Cell C Sharks, 1 cap, 0 pts)
Trevor
Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls, 42 caps, 5 pts)
Coenie
Oosthuizen (Sale Sharks, 30 caps, 20 pts)
Hookers:
Joseph
Dweba (Bordeaux-Bègles, uncapped)
Malcolm
Marx (Kubota Spears, 33 caps, 25 pts)
Bongi
Mbonambi (DHL Stormers, 36 caps, 35 pts)
Scarra
Ntubeni (DHL Stormers, 1 cap, 0 pts)
Locks:
Lood de
Jager (Sale Sharks, 45 caps, 25 pts)
Eben
Etzebeth (Toulon, 85 caps, 15 pts)
Nicolaas
Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier, uncapped)
Franco
Mostert (Honda Heat, 39 caps, 5 pts)
Marvin Orie
(DHL Stormers, 3 caps, 0 pts)
RG Snyman
(Munster, 23 caps, 5 pts)
Loose
forwards:
Dan du
Preez (Sale Sharks, 4 caps, 0 pts)
Pieter-Steph
du Toit (DHL Stormers, 55 caps, 25 pts)
Siya Kolisi
(Cell C Sharks, 50 caps, 30 pts)
Kwagga
Smith (Yamaha Júbilo, 6 caps, 0 pts)
Marco van
Staden (Vodacom Bulls, 3 caps, 0 pts)
Duane
Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls, 54 caps, 15 pts)
Jasper
Wiese (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
Utility
forwards:
Jean-Luc du
Preez (Sale Sharks, 13 caps, 10 pts)
Rynhardt
Elstadt (Toulouse, 2 caps, 0 pts)
Scrumhalves:
Faf de
Klerk (Sale Sharks, 30 caps, 20 pts)
Herschel
Jantjies (DHL Stormers, 10 caps, 20 pts)
Sanele
Nohamba (Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Cobus
Reinach (Montpellier, 14 caps, 30 pts)
Flyhalves:
Elton
Jantjies (Pau, 37 caps, 281 pts)
Handré
Pollard (Montpellier, 48 caps 457 pts)
Morné Steyn
(Vodacom Bulls, 66 caps, 736 pts)
Midfielders:
Lukhanyo Am
(Cell C Sharks, 15 caps, 15 pts)
Damian de
Allende (Munster, 47 caps, 30 pts)
Jesse Kriel
(Canon Eagles, 46 caps, 60 pts)
Wandisile
Simelane (Emirates Lions, uncapped)
Frans Steyn
(Toyota Cheetahs, 67 caps, 141 pts)
Outside
Backs:
Aphelele
Fassi (Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Cheslin
Kolbe (Toulouse, 14 caps, 40 pts)
Willie le
Roux (Toyota Verblitz, 61 caps, 60 pts)
Makazole
Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks, 14 caps, 70 pts)
Sbu Nkosi
(Cell C Sharks, 11 caps, 40 pts)
Yaw Penxe
(Cell C Sharks, uncapped)
Rosko
Specman (Toyota Cheetahs, uncapped)
Damian
Willemse (DHL Stormers, 6 caps, 5 pts)
