South Africa name six uncapped players for November Nations Championship matches
Rassie Erasmus has included six players seeking their first Test caps in a 37-man Springboks squad, with injuries ruling out four established names.
South Africa named six uncapped players in a 37-man Springboks squad on October 28 for November’s Nations Championship matches, Reuters reported. The selections give coach Rassie Erasmus more players to assess ahead of next year’s defence of the World Cup title.
The six are Yaqeen Ahmed, Sebastian de Klerk, Luan Giliomee, Markus Muller, Riley Norton and Emmanuel Tshituka. Reuters reported that each has previously been involved in the Springboks setup, although none has earned a Test cap.
How the six have been involved with South Africa
Ahmed, Giliomee, Muller and Tshituka represented South Africa A against Zimbabwe in June. Norton played for the Springboks against the Barbarians that month, while de Klerk attended a national training camp last season. Their previous involvement means the six are familiar to the national setup as they compete for a place in the Test team.
Erasmus said the coaching staff had watched the six for some time and that their performances for their franchises over the past two seasons helped earn their call-ups. ‘We’ve seen what most of them are capable of firsthand in our season-opening matches and at our training camps,’ he said in comments carried by TimesLIVE and credited to SA Rugby Communications. He said he wanted to see what they could offer on the tour.
The newcomers join a group that includes captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende, according to the SA Rugby Communications account. Cheslin Kolbe, Eben Etzebeth, André Esterhuizen and Handré Pollard have been ruled out with injuries. Their absence leaves Erasmus without four established players for the November matches.
South Africa’s November fixtures and standings
South Africa are scheduled to face Italy on November 7, France on November 13 and Ireland on November 21, followed by Nations Championship finals weekend in London from November 27 to 29. The squad is due to assemble in Italy in groups on the Sunday and Monday before the first match, according to the SA Rugby Communications account carried by TimesLIVE.
The Springboks lead the Southern Hemisphere standings on points difference, level with New Zealand on 15 points. South Africa topped the Southern Series table in July after victories against England, Scotland and Wales. Those results put the team in first place going into its November fixtures against northern opponents.
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Sources and context
- South Africa name six uncapped players in Nation Championship squadCNA, carrying Reuters reporting (source footer credits Reuters)
- Six players earn first Bok call-up as Nations Championship squad namedTimesLIVE; source footer credits SA Rugby Communications
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.