Nine Untapped Talents in the South African Team Squad
Alright, let's dive into the updated roster for the back-to-back world champions' 2025 season! The team, ready to kick off against the Barbarians on June 28, is brimming with talent, boasting 54 players in total – 30 forwards and 24 backs. Here's the lowdown on this impressive squad:
The Gang's All Here- Juarno Augustus (Forward)- Lood de Jager (Lock)- Renzo du Plessis (Forward)- Jean-Luc du Preez (Flank)- Pieter-Steph du Toit (Lock/Flank)- Thomas du Toit (Prop)- Eben Etzebeth (Lock)- Neethling Fouche (Prop)- Cameron Hanekom (Lock)- Jean Kleyn (Lock)- Vincent Koch (Prop)- Siya Kolisi (Flank)- Wilco Louw (Prop)- Malcolm Marx (Hooker)- Bongi Mbonambi (Hooker)- Ntuthuko Mchunu (Prop)- Salmaan Moerat (Lock)- Franco Mostert (Lock)- Ox Nche (Prop)- Ruan Nortje (Lock)- Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Prop)- Kwagga Smith (Flank)- RG Snyman (Lock)- Gerhard Steenekamp (Prop)- Vincent Tshituka (Flank)- Marco van Staden (Flank)- Marnus van der Merwe (Prop)- Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Prop)- Cobus Wiese (Lock)- Jasper Wiese (No. 8)
Line 'Em Up- Lukhanyo Am (Centre)- Kurt-Lee Arendse (Wing)- Damian de Allende (Centre)- Faf de Klerk (Scrum-half)- Andre Esterhuizen (Centre)- Aphelele Fassi (Wing)- Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Wing)- Jaden Hendrikse (Scrum-half)- Jordan Hendrikse (Fly-half)- Ethan Hooker (Scrum-half)- Quan Horn (Centre)- Cheslin Kolbe (Wing)- Jesse Kriel (Centre)- Willie le Roux (Full-back)- Manie Libbok (Fly-half)- Makazole Mapimpi (Wing)- Ntokozo Makhaza (Scrum-half)- Canan Moodie (Full-back)- Handre Pollard (Fly-half)- Cobus Reinach (Scrum-half)- Morne van den Berg (Scrum-half)- Edwill van der Merwe (Wing)- Damian Willemse (Fly-half/Full-back)- Grant Williams (Centre/Fly-half)
Catch a glimpse of some fresh faces like 23-year-old wing Makhaza, who was named the 2025 Varsity Cup Player of the Year, but there's a notable absentee – Evan Roos, the unlucky player who missed out on selection.
The squad consists of over 30 World Cup winners and will train in Johannesburg, with players joining from the United Rugby Championship and Premiership finals. Erasmus, the head coach, couldn't be more excited about the depth and talent on offer. He believes the training sessions and learning opportunities for the younger players will set them up for a challenging, yet exciting season.
So, brace yourselves for a thrilling ride, rugby fans! The Springboks are back, bigger, and better than ever before, ready to conquer the international scene once again!
Across the Sports Spectrum- The Springboks are not just dominating rugby, but they've also shown an interest in football, with Faf de Klerk joining Manchester United on loan during the 2024-2025 Premier League season.
Pride in Sports Unity- As the team prepares for their upcoming friendly match against the Barcelona FC on July 10, fans are reminded of the Springboks' prowess not only in rugby but also in sports at large, making them true world champions.
