South Africa’s rugby titans and rising stars revealed in epic 54-Man squad
by Lwandiso Simanga
South Africa’s national rugby team has announced a 54-player training squad ahead of the 2025 international season. The squad, unveiled by SA Rugby on Thursday, includes a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talent.
Of the 54 players, 31 were part of South Africa’s squad at the most recent Rugby World Cup, underscoring the team’s reliance on proven performers while also introducing fresh faces. The group is composed of 30 forwards and 24 backs.
Nine players in the squad have yet to earn their first Springbok cap. These uncapped players are Marnus van der Merwe, Neethling Fouche, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Cobus Wiese, Renzo du Plessis, Vincent Tshituka, Juarno Augustus, Ethan Hooker, and Ntokozo Makhaza. Several, including Fouche and Hooker, have previously participated in national training squads, while Tshituka and Augustus featured in the 2020 Green and Gold trial match.
image: Springbok page Twitter
Due to ongoing club competitions, such as the United Rugby Championship and the English Premiership, the players will join the training camp in phases. Players from teams still competing including the Bulls, Sharks, and European clubs like Bath and Leicester will arrive once their club commitments have ended. Meanwhile, players based in Japan, whose season has concluded, are expected to report to camp in Johannesburg on 8 June, with training beginning on 9 June.
Injuries have ruled out five players from the squad: Frans Malherbe, Elrigh Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Deon Fourie, and Trevor Nyakane.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus emphasized the importance of squad depth and long-term planning. “This group gives us the opportunity to balance experience with youth. It also allows younger players to grow under the guidance of Rugby World Cup winners,” he said.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus alongside an inset of uncapped player Juarno Augustus
image: Planet rugby
Erasmus highlighted that the team’s rotation of 50 players last season was part of a broader strategy to manage workloads and build squad depth ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Training sessions are scheduled to take place on weekdays, with players released on weekends. The full team is expected to regroup on 15 June to prepare for a match against the Barbarians in Cape Town on 28 June. This will be followed by Test matches against Italy and Georgia in July, as part of the Castle Lager Incoming Series.