Uncapped Porthen included as Erasmus names 36 players in Bok year-end squad

Former Junior Springbok prop and captain Zachary Porthen earned his first Springbok call-up on Monday as coach Rassie Erasmus named a strong 36-man squad for the Outgoing Tour in November.

The combination features four players who will return to the Bok set-up for the first time this season. Erasmus also placed 10 players on standby, including uncapped Ulster and former World Rugby U20 Championship Player of the Tournament Juarno Augustus and Bulls back Sebastian de Klerk.

The Boks face Japan in the first of five Tests on consecutive Saturdays at Wembley Stadium in London on November 1, before lining up against:

• France at Stade de France in Paris (November 8);
• Italy at Juventus Stadium in Turin (November 15);
• Ireland at Lansdowne Road in Dublin (November 22); and
• Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (November 29).

Porthen, who made his United Rugby Championship debut for the Stormers in May and is on tour at present with the franchise in Italy, is the only uncapped player in the 36-man squad that departs for London in different groups from their respective teams and clubs on Saturday and Sunday.

Flank Ben-Jason Dixon, hooker Johan Grobbelaar and prop Gerhard Steenekamp will make their first appearances for the team this season, while Jean Kleyn (lock), who suffered an injury during the team’s opening match of the year against the Barbarians, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe (both wings) are all back from injury.

The squad includes 21 forwards and 15 backline players. The standby list features seven forwards – Augustus (No 8), Neethling Fouche (prop), Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Salmaan Moerat (lock), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), Evan Roos (No 8) and Vincent Tshituka (utility forward) – and three backs in Lukhanyo Am (centre), De Klerk (utility back) and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is set to become only the ninth South African Test centurion on the tour after racking up his 98th cap in the team’s 29-27 victory against Argentina in their final Rugby Championship match at Twickenham this month, which saw the Boks clinch the southern hemisphere title for the second time in a row.

Among the injured players not considered for selection are Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Jean-Luc du Preez and Aphelele Fassi.

“We are excited about the makeup of the squad,” Erasmus said. “Most players in the group have been with us throughout the season, while others are back from injury or have done the job for us before in the past few years.

“It’s also great to see a young player like Zachary, who has emerged through our junior structures, come through the ranks into the senior setup and we are excited to see what he can do at this level.

“With five tough matches lined up, we always planned to select a manageable squad and we have a solid bunch of players on standby, some of whom have been with us during stages this season, and uncapped players such as Sebastian and Juarno, who have continued to impress us with their performances.

“With Neethling and Salmaan in the process of returning from injury, it’s important for us that they get more game time for their URC franchises, which was the main reason for excluding them from the 36-man squad.

“Obviously players not included on the standby list could also be called up should the need arise.”

Springbok squad

Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche ( Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks)

Players on standby

Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Ulster), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Evan Roos (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks)

Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Sebastian De Klerk (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks)

SA Rugby media