The Springboks European Tour Squad Announcement landed with a thud of intent, a 36-man group named for a five Test swing through Japan, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales in November. It is a squad that blends hardened champions with timely injections of youth, and at its heart sits a story of opportunity as uncapped tighthead Zachary Porthen steps into a vacancy created by the absence of several veterans.
Coach Rassie Erasmus kept faith with the spine that has carried South Africa through a mixed season, yet he was unafraid to make consequential calls. Siya Kolisi will lead again, fresh from a title-clinching Rugby Championship campaign and perched on 98 caps, while the coaches have signaled a readiness to blood the next generation in demanding arenas across Europe.
What Rassie Erasmus signaled with this squad
Erasmus emphasised continuity, a manageable touring group, and a longer lens on succession. Most players have been part of the setup all year, several return from injury, and a handful have been asked to stand by as cover from home. That balance reflects a coach who values cohesion, yet will not ignore performance or the reality of injuries to senior figures.
“We are excited about the makeup of this squad. Most of the players in the group have been with us throughout the season, while others are back from injury or have done the job for us before in the last few years.”
There was also a sober assessment of the challenge ahead. France and Ireland, both fresh off four wins in five in the Six Nations, await in Paris and Dublin. Italy, Wales and Japan round out a run of fixtures where, as Erasmus reminded, results cannot be taken for granted given recent history and tight margins at Test level.
“It is a longer tour and we are facing top-class opposition, but we are looking forward to it. Ireland and France are always tough, Italy, Wales and Japan are in the world top 15, and you cannot write off any team.”
The rise of Zachary Porthen and a changing of the guard at tighthead
At 21, Zachary Porthen is the face of this announcement. A former Junior Springboks captain and recent United Rugby Championship debutant for the Stormers, he steps into the frame at tighthead as the Boks navigate a rare vacuum of veteran options. Frans Malherbe is still injured, Neethling Fouché is easing back, and Vincent Koch has not played a Test all year and has fallen out of immediate contention.
Porthen’s selection is not a leap in the dark. Stormers coach John Dobson has been intent on accelerating his development, and the youngster answered with a robust shift in the recent URC win against Zebre, complete with 12 tackles and stable scrummaging. It was the kind of performance that gets a coach’s attention on Monday morning, and the national call followed quickly.
“Our scrum gave us a couple of penalties, and we were without Ntuthuko Mchunu, Neethling Fouché, Sazi Sandi and Frans Malherbe. I felt that Zachary Porthen was exceptional,” said Dobson.
Porthen joins Wilco Louw and Thomas du Toit as the specialist No 3s on tour, a trio that gives Erasmus options in both set piece power and mobility around the field. The coach’s messaging was clear, celebrating a young player who has climbed through junior structures to challenge at senior level, a narrative that speaks to long-term planning.
Front row refresh and the hooker equation
There is change alongside Porthen. Johan Grobbelaar returns to the Test frame at hooker with Malcolm Marx, while Jan-Hendrik Wessels offers hybrid cover across hooker and prop. That combination suggests a forward-thinking safety net, and it hints at versatility in match day selections where bench balance can be decisive in Europe.
The knock-on effect is stark. There is no place in the 36 for World Cup winners Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Koch, with Mbonambi among the standby group and Koch missing out entirely. Erasmus is looking ahead, and with Gerhard Steenekamp fit again there is the enticing possibility of reuniting a Bulls front row axis built around Grobbelaar, Steenekamp and Louw.
Veteran omissions and the signal they send
The door has closed, at least for now, on several icons. Willie le Roux did not make the squad or standby list, Faf de Klerk is absent, and Koch’s name is also missing. Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am are on standby rather than in the touring party, a reminder that the jersey is earned each season, and that performance, fitness and balance guide selection.
There is nuance too. Some omissions are injury related, with Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Jean-Luc du Preez and Aphelele Fassi all unavailable. Others, like Asenathi Ntlabakanye, sit out while managing a positive drugs test finding ahead of a hearing later this year, an unavoidable subplot in the tighthead conversation.
Backline balance and the fullback question
Damian Willemse stands as the only specialist fullback on tour, a selection that raises tactical questions yet offers creative possibilities. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is well placed to add cover, and the back three options, featuring players such as Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe, give the Boks flexibility if they need to shuffle resources.
In the midfield, the established presence of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel anchors the attack, with Andre Esterhuizen adding heft. Among the returning sparks, Kurt-Lee Arendse is back from injury, and the inclusion of Ethan Hooker among the backs adds youthful energy to the training ground battles for places.
No 8 depth and the load on Jasper Wiese
The one area of scarcity is at the back of the scrum. Jasper Wiese is the only specialist No 8 in the squad, which magnifies his importance in a tour that features five consecutive Saturdays of Test rugby. The standbys tell their own story, with Juarno Augustus and Evan Roos waiting in the wings if required, and Kwagga Smith offering his usual adaptability across the loose trio.
From a selection strategy lens, this leans on cohesion in the loose forwards, with Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden and Smith among the candidates to share the workload around Wiese. It is a bet on continuity and it reflects the injuries that have trimmed depth at the base of the scrum this season.
The November gauntlet and what awaits
The itinerary is demanding and evocative. From the opening fixture against Japan in London to the closing night in Cardiff, the Boks will be tested in contrasting conditions, hostile atmospheres and quick turnarounds. Recent form lines and rankings only sharpen the picture, France and Ireland have looked formidable at home.
- Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on 1 November,
- France at Stade de France in Paris on 8 November,
- Italy at Allianz Stadium in Turin on 15 November,
- Ireland at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 22 November,
- Wales at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on 29 November.
There is also a logistical wrinkle around player availability outside the Test window, although the outlook appears improved. According to reporting referenced in South African media, SA Rugby have struck an agreement with Japanese clubs to release players for the opening and closing matches, which fall outside the window, a development that would help cohesion in selection.
Who is in and who stands by
The forwards roster underlines both power and familiarity. Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn give the locks heft, while Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit headline the loosehead and tighthead experience respectively. The inclusion of Ben-Jason Dixon adds work rate in the back five, and Lood de Jager’s presence settles nerves in lineout strategy.
Among the backs, Handre Pollard and Manie Libbok continue their flyhalf duet, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams and Morne van den Berg share scrumhalf duties, and wings such as Canan Moodie and Kolbe supply speed and aerial skill. The shape of match day 23s will vary by opponent, but the blend is clear, pace out wide, craft in midfield, and tactical kicking options at 10 and 15.
The standby list gives Erasmus levers to pull if form or fitness dictates. Up front, Bongi Mbonambi, Neethling Fouche, Salmaan Moerat, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Juarno Augustus, Evan Roos and Vincent Tshituka wait for a call, while in the backs Lukhanyo Am, Sebastian de Klerk and Makazole Mapimpi keep the pressure on from afar. It is a competitive shadow squad, and it will keep standards sharp.
Style notes and what could evolve on tour
Selection always hints at strategy. With Willemse as the sole out-and-out 15, expect fluid backfield coverage and a premium on communication under the high ball. The potential Bulls front row combination could feature in at least one Test, marrying scrummaging stability with breakdown presence, and the locks offer ample maul power for territorial battles in Paris and Dublin.
The inclusion of Grobbelaar alongside Marx suggests a clear plan to maintain tempo and accuracy in set piece and kick chase. In the backline, the fit again Arendse adds a finishing edge, while the versatility of players like Feinberg-Mngomezulu enhances the bench mix, an aspect that Erasmus has often used to swing momentum in the final quarter.
The human thread that runs through selection
Every squad list contains a heartbeat if you listen for it. Porthen’s story, from Junior Boks captain to the cusp of a Test debut at 21, is about pathways and timing, about coaches willing to reward form, and about a young tighthead brave enough to chase scrummaging truth in the most unforgiving channel on the field. It is also about a team renewing itself without losing its identity.
For the veterans left behind, there is dignity and a challenge. Legends like Willie le Roux, Faf de Klerk and Vincent Koch have given the jersey years of excellence, yet the standard never softens. If the call comes again, they will be ready. For now, the tour belongs to a group that must prove consistency week after week, an ambition Erasmus himself underlined.
Key takeaways for the European tour
- Zachary Porthen headlines the fresh faces, a response to injuries and form at tighthead,
- veteran omissions are notable, with Willie le Roux, Faf de Klerk and Vincent Koch missing out,
- depth questions exist at No 8 and fullback, which will influence tactical choices.
The Springboks have mixed their trusted core with forward-looking selections, and they carry the momentum of a narrow win over Argentina at Twickenham that sealed another Rugby Championship title. The real test now comes in five very different cities, against five very different teams, with the same clear demand for precision, resilience and clarity in big moments.
Erasmus has set the tone, and Kolisi’s group knows the stakes. If the scrum fires, if the kicking game stays disciplined, and if the new energy integrates swiftly, this tour can illuminate a path to the next phase of the Boks project. It starts with Japan in London, and by the time Cardiff empties on 29 November, we will know a great deal more about how the world champions intend to evolve.
