Former SA Schools and Junior Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat has earned his first Springbok call-up in a squad of 32 players named by Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber on Tuesday for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour to the United Kingdom in November.
The Springboks will play three Test matches on the tour against Wales in Cardiff on November 6, Scotland in Edinburgh on November 13 and England in London on November 20.
Moerat is the only newcomer in Nienaber’s squad that featured in the Castle Lager Lions Series and Castle Lager Rugby Championship and he will join forces with Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert and Marvin Orie in a strong group of second rowers.
The only other uncapped player in the squad is scrumhalf Grant Williams, who travelled to Australia with the Boks for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
The main injury-enforced omissions from Nienaber’s squad are Faf de Klerk (hip flexor), Cheslin Kolbe (knee), Frans Malherbe (neck) and RG Snyman (knee).
Other players not considered for selection include Pieter-Steph du Toit and Rynhardt Elstadt, who is recovering from shoulder and ankle injuries respectively.
The squad consist of 18 forwards and 14 backs.
“This tour is going to be exciting yet challenging,” said Nienaber.
“The core group of players who played a key role in the series against the British & Irish Lions, as well as the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, will remain together as we build consistency and continuity in our squad with an eye on the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
“We had to travel to Australia with an expanded squad due to the strict Covid-19 protocols in the country, but with the easing of travel restrictions to Europe and the UK, we were able to revert to a more manageable touring squad.
“We are two years out from the Rugby World Cup in France, and we have close to 20 Test matches before we start our defence of the title, so every match will count in terms of building confidence and consistency as a group.
“Several players have put up their hands in the Carling Currie Cup and the first four rounds of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, which is great for our local game, and while they remain on our radar, we’ve decided to stick with the core of our 2021 squad for this tour.”
Nienaber was delighted to call up Moerat, who has been serving as the DHL Stormers’ co-captain on their Vodacom United Rugby Championship tour in recent weeks and said the lock’s experience and leadership qualities would be valuable as he makes the step up to the Springbok team.
The Springboks will depart for a one-week training camp in France on Friday before making the journey to Cardiff for their opening Test.
