Springbok players Salmaan Moerat and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be two men looking to make a big impression Down Under. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The Springbok squad are back together after enjoying 10 days off ahead of the start of the 2024 Rugby Championship.
Under the guidance of coach Rassie Erasmus, the squad are in Johannesburg preparing for their trip to Australia. They depart on Wednesday, with their first match next weekend.
Here is what you need to know about the Boks’ current state of play.
The 33-man squad for the upcoming matches will be captained by flanker Siya Kolisi.
The squad includes lock Ruan Nortje, who hasn’t featured in any of the Boks’ four Tests so far this year, as well as five players who made their debuts in 2024, namely Jan-Hendrik Wessels (utility forward), Johan Grobbelaar (hooker), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (utility back), Ben-Jason Dixon (utility forward) and Morne van den Berg (scrumhalf).
The squad is missing several players who are injured, among them Canan Moodie, Jaden Hendrikse, Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager, Faf de Klerk, Steven Kisthoff and Damian Willemse.
Jasper Wiese and Andre Esterhuizen are serving World Rugby bans for dangerous play.
The 33-man squad is:
Forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (capt), Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams
The Boks go into the Rugby Championship on a bit of a high after a second-string side hammered Portugal 64-21 in an exciting match in Bloemfontein 10 days ago.
Coach Rassie Erasmus gave several young stars an opportunity to take on the tier two nation and all of them produced good performances, with some making it into the Rugby Championship squad.
Before that match, the Boks drew a thrilling two-match series with Ireland, with the Boks winning 27-20 in Pretoria and Ireland getting their revenge with a 25-24 win in Durban.
The Boks started their international season with an away match against Wales in London, winning 41-13.
The Boks are currently taking part in a short preparation camp in Johannesburg before their departure to Australia on Wednesday.
The world champions’ first match on tour in Australia is next Saturday, August 10 in Brisbane. The Boks and Wallabies will clash at the Suncorp Stadium at 6.45am SA time.
Their second match Down Under will be in Perth a week later, on Saturday, August 17 at the Optus Stadium at 11.55am.
The Boks will then return home, have a short break and then regather to prepare for the home Tests in Johannesburg (August 31) and Cape Town (September 7) respectively against the All Blacks. These matches will be followed by clashes against Argentina, in Santiago and Nelspruit on September 21 and 28.
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