NATIONAL NEWS - Warren Whiteley has been named the 58th Springbok captain and will get his first opportunity to lead the team when a much-changed squad, which includes eight uncapped players, gets together for the Castle Lager Incoming Series against France at a training camp in Plettenberg Bay next week.
Of the eight uncapped players in the squad, six are backs and two play in the forwards. They are Lukhanyo Am, Andries Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Dillyn Leyds, Raymond Rhule, Courtnall Skosan, Ruan Dreyer and Lizo Gqoboka.
Four of these, Rhule, Cronje, Dreyer and Gqoboka have previously toured with the Boks, but are yet to play in a Test match for South Africa.
The squad, which consists of 18 forwards and 13 backs, was announced by SA Rugby President Mr Mark Alexander at the SuperSport Studios in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The Springboks will face France on Saturday 10 June at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, followed by Tests at Growthpoint Kings Park in Durban (17 June) and Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg (24 June).
The Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series (in alphabetical order according to surname):
Forwards (18):
- Lood de Jager (lock), Vodacom Bulls – 28 caps, 20 points (4 tries)
- Pieter-Steph du Toit (lock), DHL Stormers – 20 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
- Ruan Dreyer (prop), Emirates Lions – uncapped
- Eben Etzebeth (lock), DHL Stormers – 54 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
- Steven Kitshoff (prop), Bordeaux Bègles (France) – 10 caps, 0 points
- Siya Kolisi (flank), DHL Stormers – 16 caps, 0 points
- Jaco Kriel (loose forward), Emirates Lions – 7 caps, 0 points
- Frans Malherbe (prop), DHL Stormers – 15 caps, 0 points
- Malcolm Marx (hooker), Emirates Lions – 2 caps, 0 points
- Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), DHL Stormers – 5 caps; 0 points
- Oupa Mohoje (loose forward), Toyota Cheetahs – 15 tests, 0 points
- Franco Mostert (lock), Emirates Lions – 7 caps, 0 points
- Tendai Mtawarira (prop), Cell C Sharks – 87 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
- Lizo Gqoboka (prop), Vodacom Bulls – uncapped
- Coenie Oosthuizen (prop), Cell C Sharks – 23 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
- Chiliboy Ralepelle (hooker), Cell C Sharks – 22 caps, 5 points (1 try)
- Duane Vermeulen (loose forward), Toulon (France) – 37 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
- Warren Whiteley (captain, loose forward), Emirates Lions – 15 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
- Lukhanyo Am (centre), Cell C Sharks – uncapped
- Andries Coetzee (fullback) Emirates Lions – uncapped
- Ross Cronje (scrumhalf), Emirates Lions – uncapped
- Damian de Allende (centre), DHL Stormers – 22 Caps, 15 points (3 tries)
- Francois Hougaard (scrumhalf), Worcester (England) – 39 caps, 25 points (5 tries)
- Elton Jantjies (flyhalf), Emirates Lions – 11 caps, 78 points (12 conversions, 18 penalties)
- Jesse Kriel (centre), Vodacom Bulls – 17 caps, 15 points (3 tries)
- Dillyn Leyds (wing/utility back), DHL Stormers – uncapped
- Rudy Paige (scrumhalf), Vodacom Bulls – 7 caps, 0 points
- Raymond Rhule (wing) Toyota Cheetahs – uncapped
- Jan Serfontein (centre), Vodacom Bulls – 26 caps, 10 points (2 tries)
- Courtnall Skosan (wing), Emirates Lions – uncapped
- Frans Steyn (flyhalf/centre), Montpellier (France) – 53 caps, 132 points (10 tries, 5 conversions, 21 penalties, 3 drop goals)
