Bathobele Hlekani is one of the new faces in the Springbok camp.
Image: World Rugby
In compiling a 40-man squad for a Springbok alignment camp next week, coach Rassie Erasmus has his eyes on the rapidly approaching international season kick-off in late June, but, as usual, he is also considering future campaigns by including promising youngsters such as Sibabalwe Mahashe and Zekhethelo Siyaya.
The 22-year-old Mahashe has been a standout performer for the Lions in the URC, while 18-year-old Siyaya was the SA Schools fullback last year. The latter was given a shot by Sharks coach JP Pietersen only a few weeks ago, and brilliant performances at fullback and flyhalf have catapulted him into the Springbok arena.
Loose forward Mahashe is one of eight Lions players rewarded for the Joburg team’s best season in many a year, with their captain Francke Horn especially deserving his call-up after being the pillar around which his team’s vastly-improved performances have been built.
Centre Henco van Wyk has likewise been outstanding for the Lions and has caught Erasmus’ eye.
Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier is another who has been recognised for outstanding form. The 28-year-old was picked by Erasmus for the Boks in 2018 but has been excluded ever since.
It is important to note that this squad does not include the players based overseas — there are a dozen current Boks in Japan alone — and Erasmus will hold a “virtual” camp for those players after the in-person camp.
Further, injured players who know the Bok set-up inside out have not been troubled to attend. In this group are players such as Eben Etzebeth, Cobus Reinach, Aphelele Fassi, and Frans Malherbe
The 40-man squad comprises 25 forwards and 15 backs, and the composition indicates that Erasmus is planning not just for the July matches against England, Scotland and Wales, but also for next year’s World Cup in Australia.
Erasmus emphasised in a press statement on Wednesday that this camp will be purpose-driven, which explains why he has also left out injured youngsters such as Markus Muller and Luan Giliomee.
Erasmus has picked 10 uncapped players: Paul de Villiers, Bathobele Hlekani, Horn, Mahashe, Riley Norton, Haashim Pead, Siyaya, Emmanuel Tshituka, Van Wyk, and Jaco Williams.
“There are several players who are not currently fit to play, and we look forward to seeing them back in action in the near future, knowing they have a good sense of how the team operates and what will be expected of them when they return, Erasmus confirmed.
“It's important to be clear about the objective of this alignment camp, and that is to expose these players to our environment, our standards, and the way we operate.
“The players who will not be present, whether through injury or workload, remain in our plans, and each one of them is on his own path with his own set of timelines.
“This week will give us the chance to align those who are fit and firing now with the way we want to operate, so that when an opportunity arises either this year or further down the line, they are ready to step up and deliver at international level.”
Players invited to the second in-person Springbok alignment camp:
Forwards: Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter (all Stormers); Bathobele Hlekani, Francke Horn, Sibabalwe Mahashe, Asenathi Ntlabakanye (all Lions); Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Bulls); Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Emmanuel Tshituka (all Sharks).
Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard (all Bulls); Andre Esterhuizen, Zekhethelo Siyaya, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams (all Sharks); Quan Horn, Haashim Pead, Henco van Wyk, Morne van den Berg (all Lions); Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse (both Stormers).