Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber has named his 35-man squad for the Autumn Nations Series, including the uncapped backs Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Lock Jason Jenkins is also recalled to South Africa’s national set-up four years after making his Test debut against Wales in Washington, while Sbu Nkosi and Marco van Staden are involved for the first time this calendar year.
South Africa travel to Dublin to face the top-ranked team in the world, Ireland, on Saturday 5 November, before seven players are transferred to the Springbok’s ‘A’ team.
Nienaber said it was important to keep faith with the majority of the squad while giving chances to in-form youngsters as his men take on France on 12 November, Italy on 19 November and England on 26 November.
“We are facing three of the top five teams in the world in Ireland, France and England, and we are building our squad for the World Cup next year at the same time, so it was important to maintain consistency in selection while also rewarding a few talented young players for their steady form this season,” said Nienaber.
“The fact that a few key players were ruled out due to injury also played a role in this process, but we know what we have in those players, and it has granted us an opportunity to see what the next generation of players can do at this level.
“This will bode well for the Rugby World Cup and beyond.”
On the selection of Libbok, Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Jenkins, Nienaber added: “Manie and Sacha have shown what they are capable of at Vodacom United Rugby Championship and Junior Springbok level, while Jason has been in fine form for Leinster, and we are thrilled to see them being called up to what is a largely settled squad.”
The full Springbok squad will assemble in Dublin on Monday, while the SA ‘A’ players are set to depart for Cork next weekend to begin their preparations for midweek games against Munster and Bristol Bears, where they will be joined by some of the coaches and players from the Bok squad.
South Africa Autumn Nations Series Squad
Forwards Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks) Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) Vincent Koch (unattached) Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) Jason Jenkins (Leinster) Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers) Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks) Evan Roos (DHL Stormers) Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers) Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Backs Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins) Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) Sbu Nkosi (Vodacom Bulls) Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
