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ESPN staff
Springboks, Blitzboks and Junior Boks players have been named in two 25-man squads for the Springbok Showdown to be played at Newlands in Cape Town on Oct. 3.
SA Rugby Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber, the newly appointed Springboks head coach, selected the outfits, which feature 13 members of the 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning Springboks squad, during an exciting live draft pick, the first of its kind in South African rugby history.
Erasmus is the team commissioner for the Green squad to be coached by Mzwandile Stick, while Nienaber (team commissioner) and Deon Davids (coach) are in charge of the Gold squad.
“The draft picks exercise was a refreshing way to select the two squads for the game,” Erasmus said.
“Myself, Jacques and the coaches thoroughly enjoyed the exercise, but the tension of picking squads on live television wasn’t good for the nerves… I hope our fans enjoyed something new on the South African rugby landscape.”
Erasmus said the Springboks’ brains trust had grabbed the opportunity to cast the net very wide in order to compile an original list of 93 players before whittling it down to 50.
The enlarged player group was identified during Super Rugby and PRO14 action earlier in the year, and last year’s Currie Cup, while the younger players on the list have been part of SA Rugby’s Elite Player Development program for the past couple of years.
A number of players who are currently injured were not considered for the match, including World Rugby and SA Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit, Word Cup winner Sbu Nkosi, Aphelele Fassi and Lizo Gqoboka.
Springbok Green squad
Props: Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit, Trevor Nyakane, Luan de Bruin
Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi, Schalk Erasmus
Locks: J.D. Schickerling, Hyron Andrews, Oupa Mohoje
Loose forwards: Siya Kolisi, Arno Botha, Duane Vermeulen, Junior Pokomela, Juarno Augustus
Scrum halves: Sanele Nohamba, Embrose Papier
Fly halves: Elton Jantjies, Manie Libbok
Centres: Frans Steyn, Wandisile Simelane, Jeremy Ward
Outside backs: Seabelo Senatla, Yaw Penxe, Gianni Lombard, Malcolm Jaer
Springbok Gold squad
Props: Steven Kitshoff, Dylan Smith, Frans Malherbe, Ruan Dreyer
Hookers: Scarra Ntubeni, Dylan Richardson
Locks: Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie, Jason Jenkins
Loose forwards: Marco van Staden, Nizaam Carr, Sikhumbuzo Notshe; Vincent Tshituka, James Venter
Scrum halves: Herschel Jantjies, Jaden Hendrikse
Fly halves: Damian Willemse, Curwin Bosch
Centres: Rikus Pretorius, Lukhanyo Am, Werner Kok, Manuel Rass
Outside backs: Sergeal Petersen, Rosko Specman, Warrick Gelant