He’s the reason I accepted the call up; Springbok break out player reveals reason why he joined the squad

Opportunity knocks for ‘new warriors’ in Springboks squad

Europe-based warriors Juarno Augustus and Marnus van der Merwe could be the breakout stars this July as Rassie Erasmus looks to add another layer to the Springboks’ depth.

Last Thursday, Erasmus confirmed 36 players will attend a national alignment camp in Cape Town this week. Meanwhile, 18 players based in Europe and Japan will touch base with the Bok coaching staff as plans for the 2025 Test campaign gather momentum.

 

As many as 30 players have been cut since the two initial planning camps in February, while three more have been added.

 

Northampton Exeter <a href=

Gallagher Premiership match report” width=”1024″ height=”576″ /> Northampton’s Juarno Augustus has been in barnstorming form for the Champions Cup finalists (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Number eight Augustus (Northampton Saints), utility forward Vincent Tshituka (Sharks) and winger Ntokozo Makhaza (the University of Cape Town) will be exposed to the national systems and culture for the first time, while a few local favourites – such as Stormers eight Evan Roos and Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar – have not made the cut.

 

As you’d expect, the inclusion of Makhaza, the nerveless goalkicker who won the Varsity Cup with UCT last month but is yet to play franchise rugby, has raised eyebrows.

 

Fewer rugby people have been surprised by the inclusion of Augustus – who will lead the Saints’ physical charge against Bordeaux-Begles in the Champions Cup final this Saturday – or that of Tshituka, who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and would have featured in the Bok group a lot sooner if not for red tape.

 

Erasmus has sent a strong message, through his selections as well as the quotes that accompanied the alignment camp press release last week.

 

It remains to be seen how much this group will change before Erasmus announces his squad for the incoming internationals against the Barbarians, the two-match series against Italy and the one-off Test against Georgia. The first clash against the Baa-Baas kicks off in Cape Town on 28 June.

 

But Erasmus has sent a strong message, through his selections as well as the quotes that accompanied the alignment camp press release last week.

 

“[The new players in the camp] have all made a strong statement in big competitions under immense pressure at times, so we are looking forward to working with them,” the Bok coach said.

 

“It’s always difficult to reduce the size of the squad with the abundance of talent in South African rugby, but we were limited in the number of players we could select for the camp, and we are confident that we have sufficient cover in all positions within this group.”

 

Evan Roos Springboks

The omission of Evan Roos has upset sections of Stormers fans (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Read between the lines, and it’s clear the door is still open to Roos, Grobbelaar and others.

 

At the same time, Erasmus’ mention of adequate cover across the positions suggests he is satisfied with the dynamic of the group as things stand.

 

It’s also important to note five other Boks weren’t considered due to serious injuries – namely World Cup winners Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane and Deon Fourie, as well as Elrigh Louw and Ben-Jason Dixon. While Nyakane (36) and Fourie (38) are getting on in years, the other three may well return for the Boks at a later date.

 

Given the attritional nature of play-off rugby, it’s highly likely one or two big names will be sidelined before the Boks begin their 2025 campaign next month.

 

According to sources, an off-field issue between Roos and the coaches continues to hold the player back.

 

Indeed, the injury status of a couple of senior players will be a major talking point over the next few weeks.

 

The 2024 World Rugby player of the year Pieter-Steph du Toit sustained a serious shoulder injury in the win against England last November, and did not feature for his club, Toyota Verblitz, during the Japanese season.

 

In March, news outlets around the globe reported Jasper Wiese suffered a “season-ending neck injury” while on duty for Urayasu D-Rocks.

 

However, both will attend the camp, and it’s believed Wiese’s injury is not as bad as first feared.

 

If fit, Du Toit and Wiese should be available for the first clash against the Barbarians – unlike most of the Europe-based Boks – and will have the chance to shake off the rust ahead of the more physically demanding clashes against Italy and Georgia.

 

Du Toit and Wiese’s desperation for game time may complicate Erasmus’ quest to rotate and experiment with the Bok back row over the four matches.

 

Bulls

Cameron Hanekom is now a fully fledged Springbok and pushing hard for more caps (Photo by Euan Cherry/Getty Images)

The coach has to hand the explosive Cameron Hanekom more opportunities – after giving the Bulls eight a cap against Wales in Cardiff last November – but he also has to look at Augustus, who seems more of a like-for-like replacement for Wiese.

 

The squad regulars should receive a chance or two in the coming series, before gearing up for the all-important Rugby Championship.

 

Erasmus will need to juggle established back row options such as Siya Kolisi, Kwagga Smith and Marco van Staden, while considering how utility players such as Franco Mostert, Jean-Luc du Preez and Ruan Nortje fit into the Bok forward puzzle.

 

Cobus Wiese, Jasper’s not-so-little brother, is also in the mix, as is the promising Lions flanker Renzo du Plessis. It will be interesting to see how and if Erasmus deploys this duo as well as the versatile Tshituka.

 

Roos’ omission has rankled with fans and critics, especially in the Western Cape. He has delivered a series of impressive performances for the Stormers in recent months, yet hasn’t cracked an invite.

 

Ethan Hooker (22) trained with the Boks at the start of last season, and has since become a regular feature at the Sharks. One would expect him to receive an opportunity against Italy or Georgia, as the coaches assess his aptitude for more challenging Tests down the line.

 

According to sources, an off-field issue between Roos and the coaches continues to hold the player back. One would hope for a speedy resolution, given the 25-year-old is young and talented enough to play more than 50 Tests for South Africa in the coming years.

 

That said, the Boks aren’t short on back row options right now, as the list above confirms.

 

Augustus looks set to replace Roos as the third-choice eight in the group, and in the long run, the capping of the player nicknamed ‘Trokkie’ will bolster South Africa’s depth.

 

Less has been made about Erasmus’ front-row selections, despite the inclusion of a prominent Wales-based player and the omission of two local hookers.

 

Marnus van der Merwe was singled out by Erasmus ahead of the 2024 season as one to watch. Since moving from the Cheetahs to the Scarlets, he has taken his game to the next level.

 

Erasmus loves to talk about battle stats and it’s no secret he favours players – or more specifically forwards – who relish the physical encounters. The Boks already possess two of the best front-row warriors in Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx, and going by recent performances, Van der Merwe is in the same mould.

 

It’s a tough break for Grobbelaar and the young André-Hugo Venter, both of whom featured for the Boks in 2024.

 

Rassie Erasmus

Rassie Erasmus continues to deepen the Springboks’ remarkable pool of talent (Photo MICHAEL BRADLEY/Getty Images)

Clearly Erasmus feels he has enough cover in the squad, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels – arguably the Bulls’ standout performer over the course of this season – set to serve as a front-row utility player.

 

The Bok coach faces another selection headache in the backline, with so many talented players competing for places. Again, even if Erasmus rotates heavily over the four games, he will struggle to give everyone in that group a run.

 

Makhaza (23) may well be viewed as a long-term project, and it would be surprising to see the Varsity Cup star play ahead of some of the veterans this year.

 

Ethan Hooker (22) trained with the Boks at the start of last season, and has since become a regular feature at the Sharks. One would expect him to receive an opportunity against Italy or Georgia, as the coaches assess his aptitude for more challenging Tests down the line.

 

Other uncapped players such as Stormers tighthead Neethling Fouche and Lions powerhouse Asenathi Ntlabakanye look set for a run, as Erasmus manages his front-row resources with the Rugby Championship in mind. The injury-enforced absence of Malherbe and Nyakane will increase the likelihood of changes.

 

Erasmus used 50 players during 2024, and there’s a good chance he will surpass that number in 2025.

 

New players will receive opportunities, and new combinations will be trialled. Erasmus will continue to build towards the Rugby Championship, as well as the next World Cup in Australia.

 

While the other SANZAAR nations have more pressing concerns, they should note the tweaks to the Bok machine, and how these changes could influence the Rugby Championship title race later in the season.