First Tests of 2024 are an opportunity for Springboks to blood new talent

The Springboks have a fantastic opportunity to blood new talent and fringe players early in their current World Cup cycle, with games against Wales and Portugal in June and July.

The Boks named a 43-player squad for the first of three alignment camps set to take place in Cape Town in early March, with 16 uncapped players picked to take part.

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How many of them will make the Bok squad for the start of their season however remains unknown as none of their UK and European based players were considered for the camp.

Wales at Twickenham

However a few of them could be involved in the match day squad for the one off game against Wales at Twickenham in June, while a large contingent will likely be involved in the one off Test against Portugal in Bloemfontein in July.

Both those games provide a great opportunity to see if the new generation has what it takes to make the big step up to international rugby.

The Welsh game should not be underestimated, despite the Boks crushing 52-16 win over them in a World Cup warm-up match last year, where Wales fielded an incredibly young second string side.

So it is likely that the Boks will back a good portion of their first stringers in the match at Twickenham, but there is an opportunity for some new faces as there is a chance that none of the Boks UK and European based players will be available for that game.

Due to the fact that the overseas franchises only release their Bok players once their full respective seasons are over, it means those players will only be able to link up with the national side probably late in June.

With the Welsh game penned down for the 22^ndJune, it may be too soon to throw those players straight into the Bok setup, which means there is an opportunity to name a fully South African based match day squad for that game.

Portugal in July

The Portugal game in late July will then be the perfect opportunity for the Boks to name an experimental side filled with youngsters and fringe players.

The team management has shown that they aren’t afraid to do this, as they proved when they made 14 changes to the starting XV for the second Welsh Test in Bloemfontein in 2022, and that should be the case this year as well.

A full strength Bok team will undoubtedly be backed for their two massive Tests against Ireland earlier in July, with a completely changed match 23 then turning out for the Portugal game.

If any of the new players impress they could then be in line for some game time towards the end of the Rugby Championship when the Boks take on Argentina.

The 16 uncapped players at the alignment camp are:

Forwards: Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Bulls); Neethling Fouche, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ruben van Heerden (all Stormers); Ruan Venter (Lions); Marnus van der Merwe (Cheetahs)

Backs: Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Sanele Nohamba, Morne van den Berg, Henco van Wyk (all Lions); Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg (both Stormers)