Rassie Erasmus plays his first Boks hand for 2026

Rassie Erasmus has never been shy to rotate in his Springboks match-day selections and just six of the match 23 who walloped Wales 73-0 in Cardiff in the last Test of 2025 will play the Barbarians in Gqeberha on Saturday in the first international match of 2026.

Rassie Erasmus plays his first 2026 Boks hand

There are many factors to Erasmus’s selections. He has a team of players on the injury list and another team unavailable with the Bulls playing the URC Grand Final against Leinster on Friday evening.

At least half the Bulls team is expected to be drafted into the national squad for the July Nations Championship Test matches against England, Wales and Scotland. All the matches are played in South Africa.

What is evident from Erasmus’s selections is how much depth has been built since the 2023 World Cup title win against the All Blacks. With more than 20 Test regulars unavailable, the Boks coach has still selected a match 23 that includes just two uncapped players in Junior Springboks captain Riley Norton (lock) and Vusi Moyo (10/15).

Norton, in the past two seasons, has played 10 matches for the Junior Springboks in the Sanzaar Rugby Championship (6) and World under 20 Championship (4). He will captain the Junior Springboks at next month’s World under 20 Championship in Georgia.

Norton will play for the Springboks before playing for the Stormers.

Siya Kolisi leads a match 23 that includes 10 World Cup winners.

The loose-trio of Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese is the one expected to start against England on the 4th July at Ellis Park. Wingers Cheslin Kolbe, centre Jesse Kriel, scrumhalf Grant Williams, lock Franco Mostert and loosehead prop Ox Nche and hybrid midfielder/loose-forward Andre Esterhuizen should also be in the match 23 for July’s opening Test.

Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick will coach an SA ‘A’ side against 2027 World Cup participants Zimbabwe’s Sables.

Stick and Erasmus have picked several Junior Springboks in the match 23 and balanced the selections with seasoned veterans like Stormers prop Neethling Fouche, 2019 World Cup-winning centre Lukhanyo Am and the Sharks’ Tshituka brothers Vincent and Manuel.

Of the match 23, 11 are 21 years-old and younger, with Stormers centre Markus Muller (18) and Sharks utility back Zekhethelo Siyaya (18) the youngest.

Comparing the latest Springboks 23 selected with the match 23 that played Wales last November:

Still in the Starting XV

Total still starting: 4 players

Position changes

• Franco Mostert has moved from blindside flank (No 7) to lock (No 5).

Still in the Match 23

Current starters who were in the Wales 23

• André Esterhuizen
• Siya Kolisi
• Jasper Wiese
• Franco Mostert

Current replacements who were in the Wales 23

• Zachary Porthen
• Ben-Jason Dixon

Total still in the match 23: 6 players

Players from the Wales 23 not in the latest 23

Starting XV

• Damian Willemse
• Ethan Hooker
• Damian de Allende
• Canan Moodie
• Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
• Morne van den Berg
• Gerhard Steenekamp
• Johan Grobbelaar
• Wilco Louw
• Jean Kleyn
• Ruan Nortje

Replacements

• Bongi Mbonambi
• Asenathi Ntlabakanye
• Eben Etzebeth
• Marco van Staden
• Kwagga Smith
• Cobus Reinach

Continuity Snapshot

The latest selection retains  four starters and six members of the overall match-day 23 from the team that faced Wales last November, underlining the extent to which Rassie Erasmus has rotated and expanded his player pool ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

SPRINGBOKS LAST MATCH OF 2025 & FIRST MATCH OF 2026 MATCH SQUADS

Players Common to Both Match 23s

Continuity: 4 of the starting XV remain, while 6 of the overall match 23 are retained.

SA ‘A’ TO PLAY ZIMBABWE SABLES

SOUTH AFRICA A – 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Vincent Tshituka (c), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 1 Boan Venter.
Bench: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Adré Smith, 20 Siba Mahashe, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurenzo Julius.