Rugby Union

Six newcomers in Boks squad for Nations Championship

By AAP Newswire

Jun 21, 2026

Herschel Jantjies (c) has earned a recall to the Springboks squad. -AAP Image

South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has picked six uncapped players in a 46-man squad for next month's Nations Championship matches against ‌England, Wales and Scotland.

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The squad sees Paul de Villiers (flanker), Riley Norton (lock/loose ‌forward), Carlu Sadie (prop) and Ruben van Heerden (lock) called up for the first time among the forwards, while Vusi Moyo (flyhalf) and Jaco Williams (wing) are new backline inclusions.

It was announced after the Springboks won their season-opener against a Barbarians side 80-31 in Gqeberha and South Africa A defeated Zimbabwe 40-0 in the doubleheader.

There is a return to the squad for scrumhalves Herschel Jantjies, who was a ‌member of the ‌2019 World ⁠Cup-winning squad but who has not played for the Springboks in almost three years, and Embrose Papier, who played the last of his seven Tests in 2018.

The pair will compete with regular Boks scrumhalves Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams.

The Springboks play England at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on July 4, followed by fixtures against Scotland in Pretoria on July 11 and then Wales in Durban on July 18.

The ⁠same squad will also be used ‌for a one-off Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires on August 8.

Squad:

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild ‌Knights), Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (both Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Herschel Jantjies (Bayonne), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard (both Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams, Jaco Williams (both Sharks)

Forwards: Paul de Villiers (Stormers), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Ben-Jason ‌Dixon (Stormers), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom (both Bulls), Siya Kolisi (Sharks, captain), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos (all Stormers), Carlu Sadie (Bordeaux Begles), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks), Ruben van Heerden (Stormers), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Boan ⁠Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (both Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).