Skip to content
All about sports. — Sports — Rugby

Augustus Receives Invitation for the Second Bok Alliance Training Session

South African rugby team, the Springboks, announced a 54-player roster consisting of both local and international players, with Juarno Augustus being the notable addition, set to attend the team's second training camps, led by coach Rassie Erasmus.

,   and  ASMedia
3 min read
South African rugby team Springbok calls up Juarno Augustus, a notable player from Northampton...
South African rugby team Springbok calls up Juarno Augustus, a notable player from Northampton Saints, to participate in their second gathering of 54 local and international players for alignment camps, as announced on Thursday by head coach Rassie Erasmus.

Augustus Receives Invitation for the Second Bok Alliance Training Session

Springbok Align and Conquer

It's been a hot minute since the Junior Springbok captain, the 2017 World Rugby Under-20 Player of the Year, stepped up his game to nab a spot in the national squad. His stellar performances in helping the Saints reach the Investec Champions Cup final against Bordeaux-Begles have certainly impressed the coaches.

In addition, Rassie Erasmus, the head honcho, surprised us by inviting Ntokozo Makhaza, who was named both the 2025 Varsity Cup Player of the Year and played a pivotal role in the Ikey Tigers' emphatic 44-21 victory over Maties. Not one to rest on his laurels, Makhaza contributed a whopping 32 points in the decider, bringing his season tally to an impressive 155. He's off to the Cheetahs for the upcoming Currie Cup.

Another first-timer is Congolese-born Vincent Tshituka. He's a versatile Sharks back rower, who's also made a few appearances at lock for the Durban franchise this season. Fresh off receiving his South African ID, Tshituka is ready to represent the Motherland.

The newcomers join eight uncapped players - Augustus, Tshituka, Makhaza, Renzo du Plessis, Neethling Fouche, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Marnus van der Merwe, and Cobus Wiese. If you thought that was it, you'd be wrong: Frans Malherbe, Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Deon Fourie, and Trevor Nyakane weren't considered due to injuries.

The camps will go down in Cape Town for local players, while those overseas will join virtually (schedule permitting, of course). The two-day session will get underway on the 22nd and 23rd of May, with the group separated into local and virtual participants. Erasmus and his team will guide these players as they gear up for the demanding international season, which kicks off on the 28th of June with the first-ever home game against the Barbarians. Post that, they've got the July internationals, the Rugby Championship, and the traditional end-of-the-year tour in November to look forward to.

"We're stoked to have this bunch of diverse talents join us. All of them have proven their mettle this season, often under extreme pressure. We can't wait to work with them," said Erasmus, undoubtedly feeling the excitement.

"It's a tough call to leave some stellar players out, but we had to stick to the limit for the camp. We're confident that this group covers all bases. The coaches and management team have been burning the midnight oil to ensure we're prepped for the challenges ahead, and we can't wait to see what the season holds," Erasmus added, exuding optimism.

So, here's a lowdown on the local participants:

Local Springbok Alignment Camp Players

Forwards:

  • Renzo du Plessis (Emirates Lions)
  • Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers)
  • Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Ntuthuko Mchunu (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers)
  • Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions)
  • Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)

Backs:

  • Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
  • Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Jordan Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Quan Horn (Emirates Lions)
  • Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers)
  • Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
  • Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT)
  • Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls)
  • Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions)
  • Edwill van der Merwe (Emirates Lions)
  • Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers)
  • Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks)

Source:1 | 2 | 4

Editor's Note: Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a highly experienced sports journalist with a wealth of experience in the industry. He has been recognized as the MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year, among other accolades. His current role is as a freelance sports writer.

Sports enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the upcoming international season, as the South African national rugby team, the Springboks, are set to welcome a diverse group of new talents. These include players like Ntokozo Makhaza, who excelled in sports and led the Ikey Tigers to victory, and Vincent Tshituka, a versatile back rower of Congolese descent, who recently received his South African ID. Makhaza, named both the 2025 Varsity Cup Player of the Year and the MVP of the Ikey Tigers' emphatic victory over Maties, has shown impressive skills in sports, scoring a whopping 32 points in the decider and bringing his season tally to 155. Tshituka, having made a few appearances for the Durban franchise, is now ready to represent the Motherland.

Read also:

Related

Latest