Four uncapped players in Springbok squad

Exciting young backs Warrick Gelant and Lukhanyo Am, as well as Dan du Preez and Louis Schreuder are the four uncapped players in the Springbok squad of 34 players announced on Sunday for the 2017 November Tests.

Furthermore, experienced prop Coenie Oosthuizen has been recalled to the squad having successfully completed his rehabilitation from an arm injury, which meant he missed the Springboks’ recent home Tests against Australia and New Zealand.  

Also included in the squad are loose forward Uzair Cassiem, who has recovered from the rib injury he sustained against the Wallabies in Bloemfontein, and the experienced Tendai Mtawarira, who missed the encounter against the All Blacks in Cape Town because of family reasons.

There are also recalls to the squad for the Free State Cheetahs duo of Francois Venter (centre) and Oupa Mohoje (loose forward).

Gelant, who played for the Junior Springboks and Springbok Sevens teams, will accompany the Boks on tour for the first time following impressive performances this year.

Am is back in the Springbok fold after his initial squad selection in June, which was thwarted by injury, while Du Preez and Schreuder were both part of the Springboks’ recent Castle Lager Rugby Championship squad.

Eben Etzebeth will continue to lead the side in the injury-absence of Warren Whiteley, but the squad will be without Jan Serfontein, who asked not to be considered for the tour as he wants to settle in at French club Montpellier, who he has joined recently.

Coetzee also announced that Siya Kolisi will return to Cape Town after the Test against France in Paris on 18 November as his wife, Rachel, is due to give birth the following week. He will not be available for the Test against Italy on 25 November in Padova, but will re-join the group for the final tour match in Cardiff against Wales.

Players who are contracted to overseas clubs – Franco Mostert, Francois Louw and Elton Jantjies – will not be considered for selection for the 2 December encounter against Wales, as this Test falls outside the international window.

The Springboks’ tour fixtures are:

11 November vs Ireland in Dublin

18 November vs France in Paris

25 November vs Italy in Padova

2 December vs Wales in Cardiff

The Springbok tour squad for the 2017 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour to Europe:

Forwards (in alphabetical order)

Uzair Cassiem (flank, 26 years, Toyota Free State Cheetahs), 6 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Lood de Jager (lock, 25 years, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 32 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

Ruan Dreyer (prop, 26 years, Xerox Golden Lions), 4 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Dan du Preez (No 8, 22 years, Cell C Sharks), 0 caps, 0 points

**Jean-Luc du Preez (loose forward, 22 years, Cell C Sharks), 10 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

Pieter-Steph du Toit (lock/flank, 25 years, DHL Western Province), 29 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

Eben Etzebeth (lock, 26 years, DHL Western Province), 63 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Steven Kitshoff (prop 25 years, DHL Western Province), 19 caps, 0 points

Siya Kolisi (flank, 26 years, DHL Western Province), 25 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

Francois Louw (loose forward, 32 years, Bath, England), 54 caps, 40 points (8 tries)

Wilco Louw (prop, 23 years, DHL Western Province), 1 cap, 0 points

Malcolm Marx (hooker, 23 years, Xerox Golden Lions), 11 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Bongi Mbonambi (hooker, 27 years, DHL Western Province), 11 caps, 0 points

Oupa Mohojé (flank, 27 years, Toyota Free State Cheetahs), 17 caps, 0 points

Franco Mostert (lock, 26 years, Emirates Lions/Ricoh Black Rams, Japan), 15 caps, 0 points

Tendai Mtawarira (prop, 32 years, Cell C Sharks), 95 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

Trevor Nyakane (prop, 28 years, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 34 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Coenie Oosthuizen (prop, 28 years, Cell C Sharks), 29 caps, 20 points (4 tries)

Chiliboy Ralepelle (hooker, 31 years, Cell C Sharks), 22 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Backs

Lukhanyo Am (centre, 23 years, Cell C Sharks), 0 caps, o points

Curwin Bosch (flyhalf, 20 years, Cell C Sharks), 1 cap, 0 points

Andries Coetzee (fullback, 26 years, Xerox Golden Lions), 9 caps, 0 points

Ross Cronjé (scrumhalf, 27 years, Xerox Golden Lions), 6 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

Damian de Allende (centre, 27 years, DHL Western Province), 27 caps, 15 points (3 tries)

Warrick Gelant (fullback, 22 years, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 0 caps, 0 points

Elton Jantjies (flyhalf, 27 years, Emirates Lions/ NTT Shining Arcs, Japan), 20 caps, 198 points (2 tries, 37 conversions, 38 penalties)

Jesse Kriel (centre, 23 years, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 25 caps, 30 points (6 tries)   

Dillyn Leyds (wing, 25 years, DHL Western Province), 5 caps, 0 points

Rudy Paige (scrumhalf, 28 years, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 11 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Handré Pollard (flyhalf, 23 years, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 22 caps, 190 points (2 tries, 30 conversions, 37 penalties, 3 drop goals)

Raymond Rhule (wing, 24 years, Toyota Free State Cheetahs), 7 caps, 5 points (1 try)

Louis Schreuder (scrumhalf, 27 years, Cell C Sharks), 0 caps, 0 points

Courtnall Skosan (wing, 26 years, Xerox Golden Lions), 9 caps, 10 points (2 tries)

Francois Venter (centre, 26 years, Toyota Free State Cheetahs), 3 caps, 0 points

Other players not considered for selection for the four-week tour because of injury or other reasons include amongst other: Warren Whiteley (No 8), Jaco Kriel (flank), Frans Malherbe (prop), Sbu Nkosi (wing), Ruan Combrinck (wing) and Jan Serfontein (centre).