SA Rugby
Former SA Schools and Junior Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat has earned his first Springbok call-up in a squad of 32 players named by Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour to the United Kingdom in November.
The Springboks will play three Test matches on the tour - against Wales in Cardiff (6 November), Scotland in Edinburgh (13 November), and England in London (20 November).
Moerat is the only newcomer in Nienaber's squad and joins forces with Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert and Marvin Orie in a strong group of second rowers.
The only other uncapped player in the squad is scrumhalf Grant Williams, who travelled to Australia with the Boks for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
The main injury-enforced omissions from Nienaber's squad, are Faf de Klerk (hip flexor), Cheslin Kolbe (knee), Frans Malherbe (neck), and RG Snyman (knee).
Veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn has announced his retirement from International Rugby and was thus not considered for the tour.
Nienaber was delighted to call up Moerat, who has been serving as the DHL Stormers' co-captain on their Vodacom United Rugby Championship tour in recent weeks and said the lock's experience and leadership qualities would be valuable as he makes the step up to the Springbok team.
Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour:
Props:
Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks) - 13 caps, 0 pts
Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) - 56 caps, 5pts (1t)
Vincent Koch (Saracens) - 28 caps, 0 pts
Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks) - 6 caps, 0pts
Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) - 51 caps, 5pts (1t)
Hookers:
Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux Bègles) - 1 cap, 0 pts
Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) - 43 caps, 45 pts (9t)
Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) - 45 caps, 45 pts (9t)
Locks:
Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) - 53 caps, 25 pts (5t)
Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) - 94 caps, 15 pts (3t)
Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers) - Uncapped
Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) - 7 caps, 0 pts
Loose forwards:
Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) - 60 caps, 30 pts (6t)
Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) - 16 caps, 5 pts (1t)
Marco van Staden (Leicester Tigers) - 9 caps, 0 pts
Duane Vermeulen (Ulster) - 58 caps, 15 pts (3t)
Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) - 8 caps, 0 pts
Utility forward:
Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) - 48 caps, 5pts (1t)
Scrumhalves:
Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) - 18 caps, 25 pts (5t)
Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) - 18 caps, 40pts (8t)
Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) - Uncapped
Flyhalves:
Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes) - 41 caps, 309 pts (2t, 64c, 56p, 1d)
Handré Pollard (Montpellier) - 57 caps, 558 pts (6t, 83c, 120p, 4d)
Midfielders:
Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) - 23 caps, 25 pts (5t)
Damian de Allende (Munster) - 55 caps, 35 pts (7t)
Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) - 48 caps, 60 pts (12t)
Outside backs:
Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks) - 2 caps, 10pts (2t)
Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) - 70 caps, 60 pts (12t)
Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) - 22 caps, 85 pts (17t)
Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks) - 25 caps, 45 pts (9t)
Utility backs:
Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) - 14 caps, 5pts (1t)
Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) - 71 caps, 141pts (11t, 7c, 21p, 3d)
issued by SA Rugby
