Erasmus names six uncapped players in 46-man Springboks squad for Nations Championship opener against England

Rassie Erasmus has named six uncapped players in a 46-man Springboks squad for the inaugural Nations Championship, with South Africa opening their campaign against England in Johannesburg on 4 July.

The six potential debutants — Paul de Villiers, Riley Norton, Ruben van Heerden, Carlu Sadie, Vusi Moyo and Jaco Williams — all featured for the Barbarians or the SA ‘A’ side in recent weeks, giving Erasmus and his staff a close look at them before committing to selection. The squad is made up of 28 forwards and 18 backs.

Also returning to the fold are 12 Vodacom Bulls players who were unavailable for the Springboks’ recent double-header against Zimbabwe and the Barbarians after their URC final defeat to Leinster in Dublin. Erasmus said he expects them to reintegrate quickly.

“All of the players with the exception of Embrose have been in our system in the last few seasons, so they know our structures well, and will have next week to get back into the swing of things, before we begin our proper Test-week preparations,” the head coach said.

Erasmus was equally enthusiastic about the uncapped contingent, pointing to their recent performances as evidence they belong at the highest level.

“We are pleased with the quality of the group we have selected, and it’s also exciting to see the next generation of players coming through in Riley, Vusi, Paul, Carlu, Ruben and Jaco,” he said. “They all proved against the Barbarians and SA ‘A’ teams that they have what it takes to play at the highest level, and as coaches, we are fortunate that we’ve had the opportunity to work with them in the last two weeks.”

The 53-year-old added that the new faces have already shown they are comfortable in the Springbok environment and understand the standards expected at Test level.

The squad is set to depart for Johannesburg on Sunday morning to resume their training camp. Junior Springbok players will join their team-mates briefly before heading to their own preparations for the Junior World Championship in Georgia, while other fringe players will return to their provincial unions.