A number of players who'll be on Bok duty in Europe from next week will be in action in the URC.
Bok boss Rassie Erasmus will keep a close eye on the matches in the URC this weekend. Picture: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is expecting 37 players to arrive in camp in Italy throughout Sunday and Monday, following this weekend’s final round of United Rugby Championship matches before the November break.
The Boks, and 11 other nations, will then be in action in Europe in part two of the Nations Championship, with four weekends of action taking place. Part one of the inaugural competition took place in the Southern Hemisphere countries in July.
As things stand, the Boks lead the way with 15 points on the Southern Hemisphere log, following wins against England, Scotland and Wales. France top the Northern Hemisphere log.
In November the Boks will face Italy, France and Ireland, before they play a fourth Test on Finals Weekend.
The Boks are already without the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Cheslin Kolbe, Andre Esterhuizen and long-term injured men Kwagga Smith and RG Snyman, among others, and Erasmus will now hope for no further squad setbacks this weekend.
Players in action
A total of 17 of Erasmus’ 37-man squad are in action this weekend.
On Friday night, scrumhalf Morné van den Berg will be in action for the Lions against Glasgow, but it is on Saturday when Erasmus will be a nervous coach keeping an eye on the action.
Turning out for the Stormers in their home match against Ulster are fullback Damian Willemse, new call-up Markus Muller, rookie flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, flanker Paul de Villiers, lock Riley Norton and prop Wilco Louw.
Erasmus will be relieved that Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, Siya Kolisi, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu are not in action.
There are also several Bulls players featuring against Scarlets at Loftus who Erasmus will hope get through the game unscathed.
Here one thinks of Cameron Hanekom, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp and new winger Sebastian de Klerk.
The good news is Luan Giliomee, another new call-up, and Canan Moodie are not in action.
There are also several men from the Sharks who Erasmus will be keen to see get through the last round of URC action, namely Thomas du Toit, Ox Nche, new call-up Emmanuel Tshituka, Edwill van der Merwe and Ethan Hooker. Fortunately for Erasmus, Grant Williams and Aphelele Fassi aren’t playing in the URC this weekend.
The other players in the 37-man Bok squad for the Nations Championship Tests next month play in Japan or in Europe and are not in action this weekend. Here we think of Malcolm Marx, Lood de Jager, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Manie Libbok, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Springbok squad:
Props: Thomas du Toit, Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, Gerhard Steenekamp
Hookers: Malcolm Marx, Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Locks: Lood de Jager, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje, Riley Norton, Franco Mostert
Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers, Siya Kolisi, Cameron Hanekom, Emmanuel Tshituka, Jasper Wiese
Scrumhalves: Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams
Flyhalves: Yaqeen Ahmed, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Luan Giliomee, Manie Libbok
Centres: Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Markus Muller, Canan Moodie
Outside backs: Sebastian de Klerk, Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian Willemse
