Springboks name 43-man squad for Argentina, All Blacks clashes
Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Wales v South Africa - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - November 29, 2025 South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus before the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
CAPE TOWN, July 22 : South Africa have named 43 players for their test series against New Zealand and a warm-up international against Argentina in what coach Rassie Erasmus says will be a strategic approach to selection.
A total of 10 seasoned Springboks return from injury after missing this month’s three tests in the new Nations Championship, where South Africa won home clashes against England, Scotland and Wales on successive weekends.
Captain Siya Kolisi and exciting flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu are back as well as forwards Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert and backs Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard and Morne van den Berg.
As a result, six players drop out of the squad with Ntuthuko Mchunu, Embrose Papier, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter and Jaco Williams available to play for their franchises against the All Blacks, who begin their eight-match South African tour next month.
Lock Ruben van Heerden, who made his debut against Wales last Saturday, has been put on standby as he moves to French club Montpellier.
"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 (New Zealand) series, and we decided that splitting the squad into two groups will be best for the Springbok team and the players to play their way into the squad," Erasmus said in a statement on Monday.
"Some players are returning from injury and need some valuable game time, so depending on how they progress from their injuries during next week’s training camp, we will decide who we will take to Argentina, while the other guys in the 43-man squad will remain behind in Johannesburg with a group of coaches and management to begin preparing for the tests against New Zealand.
“Then there are other players who have played a lot of rugby this year and for us during the Nations Championship, and need a match off to allow their bodies to recover,” the coach added.
The squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday and train for a week before the travelling squad to Argentina.
The test against the Pumas at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires is on August 8.
The Springboks host the All Blacks in four tests – at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on August 22, in Cape Town on August 29, at Soccer City in Johannesburg on September 5 and then in Baltimore in the U.S. on September 12.
Squad:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux Begles), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Boan Venter (Lions)
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)
Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears).
Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon (both Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)
Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Bulls)
Scrumhalves: Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers)
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Handre Pollard (Bulls)
Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)
Utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers).
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Chopra)
