Boks.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named a strong squad of 39 players and an additional 14 players on a standby list for their Summer Series against Ireland, with nine players who were not available for selection for the Wales Test and four uncapped players featuring in the 39-man squad.

The four uncapped players named in the squad were Vodacom Bulls’ hooker Johan Grobbelaar, front rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Phepsi Buthelezi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions), while Cheslin Kolbe (wing) and Lukhanyo Am (centre) are back from injury.

Handre Pollard (fly-half) and Jasper Wiese, who trained with the team but were ineligible for selection due to the Wales Test falling outside of the international window have also been named in the squad, although Wiese will only be available for selection once he completes his suspension from a dangerous tackle.

Erasmus also called up Rugby World Cup winners Siya Kolisi – the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning captain – and RG Snyman (lock), who both joined the squad in London following their club commitments – as well as Marco van Staden (flanker), Kurt-Lee Arendse (utility back) and Willie le Roux (fullback), who wrapped up their Vodacom United Rugby Championship season with the Vodacom Bulls in the grand final against the Glasgow Warriors on Saturday night.

Three players who made their Test debuts against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, which the team won 41-13 – Edwill van der Merwe (wing), Ben-Jason Dixon (utility forward) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (utility back) – were included in the group.

The 39-man squad features 22 forwards and 17 backline players, with Erasmus set to name the captain for the competition closer to the Ireland Test.

Erasmus, however, declared that three players Faf de Klerk (quadriceps), Van der Merwe (shoulder) and Mapimpi (hamstring) had picked up niggles in the Wales Test – but he was satisfied that there was enough cover in the squad with Arendse, Kolbe and Am available for selection.

The coach’s standby list, in turn, includes six capped Springboks – Jean-Luc du Preez (loose forward), Joseph Dweba (hooker), Jordan Hendrikse (flyhalf), Elrigh Louw (No 8), Wilco Louw, Nuthuko Mchunu (both props), with six of the players – Neethling Fouche (prop), Mchunu, Andre-Hugo Venter (hooker), Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (utility back) and Quan Horn (fullback) – being members of the Bok travelling squad to London.

These players will train with the team at stages during the next four weeks before the team’s historic Test against Portugal on Saturday 20 July, and could be called up at short notice in the event of injuries during the Ireland Tests.

Eight players, meanwhile, were ruled out of contention for selection due to injury, namely Steven Kitshoff (prop), Jean Kleyn, Lood de Jager (both locks), Cameron Hanekom (flanker), Jaden Hendrikse (scrumhalf), Henco van Wyk (centre), Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse (both utility backs).

Springbok squad for Ireland Series

Forwards:

Phepsi Buthelezi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks). Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Racing 92), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92/Hollywoodbets Sharks), Evan Roos (DHL Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Blu Revs), RG Snyman (Munster/Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).

Backs:

Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins/Hollywoodbets Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Wilie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Emirates Lions), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).

Players on standby:

Forwards: Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche (both DHL Stormers), Celimpilo Gumede, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw (all Vodacom Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers).

Backs: Suleiman Hartzenberg (DHL Stormers), Jordan Hendrikse (Emirates Lions), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions), Siya Masuku (Hollywoodbets Sharks).