Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has named a 34-man squad for the Australian leg of the Rugby Championship.
Nienaber said the touring squad was in line with the standard travelling squad for a Rugby World Cup. The coach says he believes that the selected squad was the right group of players to achieve what his team sets out to do in the two tests against Australian Wallabies.
The squad combines a young line-up with the experienced players. The uncapped Canan Moodie earned a call-up for his first tour in a settled national squad. Moodie has been selected as a utility back cover following the suspension handed to wing Kurt-Lee Arendse for a dangerous tackle.
“We are also excited to see how Canan slots in during the next few weeks and to see how he adapts to our structures and systems, and we believe he has the skills to slot in for Kurt-Lee and Cheslin,” says Nienaber.
Canan Moodie has been called up to the Springbok squad 💪#TrueToTheBlue pic.twitter.com/UEhIiVSx7n
— Official Blue Bulls (@BlueBullsRugby) August 8, 2022
The Rugby Championship matches will be played in Adelaide on the 27th of August and in Sydney on the 3rd of September.
✈️ Bok squad announcement – the 34 players that will travel to Australia to face the Wallabies in back-to-back #CastleRugbyChampionship Tests: https://t.co/29MeTjOvEe#StrongerTogether #StrongerForever pic.twitter.com/yzRJdfSlmU
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 15, 2022
The Springbok touring squad for the Championships is:
Props: Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Wasps), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)
Hookers: Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers)
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers), Duane Vermeulen (Ulster)
Utility forwards: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks), Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)
Flyhalves: Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers)
Midfielders: Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
Outside backs: Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Warrick Gelant (Racing 92)
Utility Backs: Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs)
