Rassie Erasmus calls up 43 players for first Bok camp of 2024

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has called up 43 players to attend a national alignment camp in Cape Town in the first week of March ahead of the 2024 international season.

Nineteen of the 43 players were part of the 2023 Rugby World Cup winning team, while 39 of the group play their rugby in South Africa. The other four men play their rugby in Japan, meaning no players involved in rugby in Europe will be part of the camp.

The group will gather in Cape Town for two days from Tuesday 5 March, where Erasmus will detail the team’s plans for the season.

First time call ups

Among the new players are Sanele Nohamba, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Quan Horn, Neethling Fouche and Marnus van der Merwe. Also, Ruan Venter, Celimpilo Gumede, Jordan Hendrikse, Henco van Wyk and Morne van den Berg have been invited to the camp.

The new-look coaching, which now also includes Tony Brown and Jerry Flannery, will be together for the first time at the camp.

“The focus at this camp will be to get everyone on the same page for the 2024 season and we believe this will lay a good foundation for us looking forward,” said Erasmus.

“Jerry (Flannery) and Tony (Brown) are going to play vital roles in this coaching team, and we are excited to see them along with our other coaching staff put proper steps into action as we prepare for the challenging season ahead.”

Experience and youth

This camp will be the first of three alignment camps before the Boks put the building blocks in place on the field for the international season, which, first-up, includes two Tests against Ireland and a first international against Portugal in July.

Regarding the players invited to the camp, Erasmus said: “This bunch of players includes several individuals who have been part of our structures in the last six years, and their experience and familiarity with the way we do things at the Springboks will be invaluable in guiding the younger players, while others have been exposed to it before by representing the SA ‘A’ team that faced Munster and the Bristol Bears in November 2022.

“There are also a few new players in the mix, who have proven their worth at provincial level and we are excited to see them receive this opportunity.”

Squad

Forwards: Eben Etzebeth, Neethling Fouche, Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Andre-Hugo Venter, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marnus van der Merwe, Ruben van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Ruan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Faf de Klerk, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Herschel Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Sanele Nohamba, Morne van den Berg, Henco van Wyk, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse.