Pieter-Steph du Toit will be rested next weekend (Anton Geyser/Gallo Images)
- The Springboks have named a 28-man squad for next weekend’s Test against Argentina.
- A number of players, including Pieter-Steph du Toit, have been rested.
- The Boks can win their first Rugby Championship since 2019 with victory in Santiago del Estero.
- For more Springbok news, visit our dedicated section.
The Springboks have named their squad that will travel to Argentina for next weekend’s Rugby Championship clash in Santiago del Estero, where victory will land them their first title since 2019.
The Boks have won all four of their matches in the tournament so far – beating the Wallabies and All Blacks twice each – and they now have two more clashes remaining against the Pumas, away and then at home in Nelspruit the following weekend.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday confirmed the names of 28 players who will travel, and the big news is that a number of first-choice regulars have been rested, as was expected.
READ | Rassie remains grounded despite unbeaten run
There is a much-needed break for powerhouse forward Pieter-Steph du Toit while young flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, will also remain in South Africa.
That should open the door to a Springbok return for Manie Libbok, who is included alongside Handre Pollard.
Elsewhere, Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Frans Malherbe (prop), Damian de Allende (centre), Cheslin Kolbe (wing) and Willie le Roux (fullback) have also been rested.
All of them will be placed on a specialised training programme to keep them sharp with an eye on rejoining the group in Mpumalanga upon their return from Argentina.
Springbok squad for Argentina tour:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Ox Nche (Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Bulls).
Loose forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Utility forward: Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks).
Utility back: Canan Moodie (Bulls).
“We have been open about our policy to try to give as many players in our wider squad as possible a chance to play against the top teams in the world,” said Erasmus.
“We believe playing against Argentina in Santiago, where we are expecting a massive encounter in front of a hostile crowd, will serve as a great test for this group of players.
“The players we decided to rest have really done their bit this season and their bodies deserve a break, so we thought the best for them would be to enjoy a break and spend time with their families before joining us in Nelspruit.
“All of the players in the 28-man squad have been in the set-up this year and have proved their worth, so we are delighted to give them an opportunity to face Argentina on their home ground.
“Argentina proved last week what a force they can be at home by defeating the Wallabies by 67-27 in Santa Fe, so we know how tough the match will be against them, and this is exactly what we want our players to experience as we continue to build the group for the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.”
There are only two specialist hookers in the squad in the returning Johan Grobbelaar and Malcolm Marx, while Lukhanyo Am and Jesse Kriel are the only two specialist centres.
“This is a short tour, and we are confident that we have sufficient cover in all the positions within this group,” said Erasmus.
“Some players, such as Johan Grobbelaar, Manie Libbok, Jaden Hendrikse, and Canan Moodie – to name a few – will benefit immensely from more game time at this level, while other players such as Aphelele Fassi and Ben-Jason Dixon for example grabbed their chances with both hands this season and we are excited to see them back in action.”
The squad will assemble in Stellenbosch on Wednesday afternoon to begin their preparations for the tour and will depart for Argentina on Saturday.