Six players earn first Bok call-up: ‘We have full faith in them,’ says Rassie
Several first-choice players are injured and unavailable for this tour.
Coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his "full faith" in six uncapped players who will make their debut for the Springboks on an upcoming tour in Europe. The South African rugby team will face Italy, France, and Ireland in November, followed by a fourth Test in what is being referred to as the Finals Weekend of the inaugural Nations Championship.
The tour will see the Boks play against the same-ranked team in the North Section log. Erasmus' team is currently in first place on the South Section log after victories against England, Scotland, and Wales in July.
Due to injuries to key players such as Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe, Andre Esterhuizen, and others, Erasmus had to select several fringe players for the tour. The six uncapped men joining the 37-man squad are Yaqeen Ahmed, Sebastian de Klerk, Luan Giliomee, Markus Muller, Riley Norton, and Emmanuel Tshituka. All six players have previously represented the Springboks at various levels, with Ahmed, Giliomee, Muller, and Tshituka having played for the SA 'A' team against Zimbabwe.
Norton, a former Junior Springbok captain, and De Klerk attended the national alignment camp last season. De Klerk also participated in the national alignment camp.
Erasmus believes that these players have demonstrated their capabilities in recent matches and training sessions, earning their call-ups to the national team. He highlighted their experience in winning the Junior World Championship and Blitzboks tournaments, showcasing their ability to perform at a high level. The coach emphasized that facing top-tier opponents in elite international rugby would be a significant challenge, but the selected players have the necessary skills and experience to succeed on tour.
The injured players who were not included in the traveling squad expressed sadness over losing such talented individuals, but Erasmus is pleased with the depth in those positions and the opportunity it provides for others to prove themselves. The majority of the players in this group have been with the team throughout the season and understand the expectations and challenges that lie ahead. Erasmus expressed excitement about the group selected for this crucial stage of the season.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
