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Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has included three Rugby World Cup winners in the national squad for the first time this year, as he welcomes back Steven Kitshoff (prop), Jaden Hendrikse (scrumhalf) and Canan Moodie (utility back) from injury for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Tests against New Zealand.
Erasmus has also recalled Jasper Wiese (No 8), Andre Esterhuizen (centre) – both RWC winners in 2023 – and Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (lock) when the 37-man squad assemble in Johannesburg on Thursday.
The Bok coach has opted to increase the squad from 33 players to 37 for the two sold out Tests against their archrivals, at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg (31 August) and the DHL Stadium in Cape Town a week later (7 September).
With locks Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager and Jean Kleyn still on the injured list, Janse van Rensburg, who played his first and only Test match against Argentina in Gqeberha in 2021, earned his first call-up back to the national squad.
After the All Blacks Tests, they will wrap up the Castle Lager Rugby Championship with a short tour to Argentina where they will line up against Los Pumas in Santiago on 21 September before returning to Nelspruit for their last match of the tournament at the Mbombela Stadium on 28 September.
Springbok squad for the New Zealand leg of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls).
Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), RG Snyman (Leinster), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier).
Loose forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (captain, Racing 92), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Flyhalves: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls).
- SA Rugby
