Manie Libbok was rewarded for his form and choses for the Springboks end-of-year tour squad Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
Cape Town – There’s no Duane Vermeulen, but Stormers stars Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu have both received their first call-ups to the Springbok squad, while Jason Jenkins and Marco van Staden earned recalls for the end-of-year tour to Europe.
Flyhalf Libbok and utility inside back Feinberg-Mngomezulu have been outstanding for the United Rugby Championship winners from last season, with the youngster also captaining the Junior Springboks to the Summer Series title in Italy earlier this year.
They have been selected ahead of Bulls No 10 Johan Goosen, who is part of the SA A squad.
Former Bulls lock Jenkins has had some injury problems since leaving Pretoria, having joined Munster in Ireland.
But he seems to have found a new lease on life at fellow Irish province Leinster, and his knowledge of the local conditions will assist the South Africans ahead of next Saturday’s Test at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Openside flank Van Staden also battled to get onto the pitch at English club Leicester Tigers, but has been back to his best for the Bulls in the URC.
The 36-year-old Vermeulen has been playing for Ulster in the URC, but director of rugby Rassie Erasmus explained on Friday that the Bok bosses know what they have in him, and wanted to have a look at other loose forwards on tour.
Meanwhile, veteran Bulls utility back Cornal Hendricks is among the surprise selections in the SA A squad that will face Munster and Bristol in tour games in November, having not been considered by the national selectors over the last few years due to an issue with his heart.
“Manie and Sacha have shown what they are capable of at United Rugby Championship and Junior Springbok level, while Jason has been in fine form for Leinster, and we are thrilled to see them being called up to what is a largely settled squad,” Nienaber said in a statement on Friday.
“We are facing three of the top five teams in the world in Ireland, France and England, and we are building our squad for the World Cup next year at the same time, so it was important to maintain consistency in selection while also rewarding a few talented young players for their steady form this season,” said Nienaber.
“The fact that a few key players were ruled out due to injury also played a role this process, but we know what we have in those players, and it has granted us an opportunity to see what the next generation of players can do at this level. This will bode well for the Rugby World Cup and beyond.”
Director of rugby Rassie Erasmus added: “This is a very important tour for both teams in terms of measuring how we perform against some of the top countries and clubs in the world and to give a wider group of players an opportunity to play at this level, less than a year out from the Rugby World Cup.
“We have some exciting young talent making a strong statement for their franchises and clubs, and since we are limited to selecting only a specified number of players for the Springbok squad, we would not have been able to see some of them in action, so we are delighted to have this SA A tour.
“This team is the closest one can get to represent the Springboks and given the quality of the Munster and Bristol teams and the electric atmospheres expected at those sold-out matches, this will be the perfect opportunity for those players to put up their hands for the World Cup squad.”
Springbok Squad
Props: Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (unattached), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)
Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks)
Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks), Jason Jenkins (Leinster), Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie (both DHL Stormers)
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks), Evan Roos (DHL Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)
Utility forwards: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (both DHL Stormers)
Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)
Outside backs: Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), Sbu Nkosi (Vodacom Bulls)
Utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
SA A Squad
Forwards: Simphiwe Matanzima (Vodacom Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Cell C Sharks), Sazi Sandi (DHL Stormers), Mornay Smith (Vodacom Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Phepsi Buthelezi (Cell C Sharks), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Cell C Sharks).
Backs: Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), Sanele Nohamba (Emirates Lions), Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks), Johan Goosen (Vodacom Bulls), Gianni Lombard (Emirates Lions), Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks), Cornal Hendricks (Vodacom Bulls), Suleiman Hartzenberg (DHL Stormers), Henco van Wyk (Emirates Lions).
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