The Springboks’ planning for the 2026 season has moved into its next phase after Rassie Erasmus cast his net wide in naming a 49-man squad featuring 11 uncapped players for the team’s first in-person alignment camp of the year in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The camp will include a series of boardroom and gymnasium sessions where the national coaches will brief their players on their plans and expected standards for the season as the team prepares to build toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup, while it will also offer some of the younger players valuable insight into the senior national set-up.
As the announcement was made, one important piece of information that should not be ignored was the inclusion of powerful prop Frans Malherbe – who has been out of action since the 2023 World Cup final due to back and neck injuries.
There have been real concerns that Malherbe might be facing premature retirement due to the nature of the injuries, but his inclusion in the latest Springbok squad is the first real indication that he is making good progress, and remains very much part of the team’s planning.
Big boost for Springboks
It’s hoped that Malherbe will be available for selection when the Springboks kick off their season on Saturday, 20 June against the Barbarians in Gqeberha.
The Barbarians fixture will be followed by three local matches in the Nations Championship, against England in Johannesburg (4 July), Scotland in Pretoria (11 July), and Wales in Durban (18 July).
They will then meet Argentina in Buenos Aires (8 August), and the All Blacks in four Tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in August and September.
This will be followed by an away Test against the Wallabies in Australia (27 September), before the second leg of the Nations Championship kicks off in Europe, with matches against Italy (7 November), France (13 November), and Ireland (21 November), before the Finals Weekend in London (27 to 29 November).
Players invited to the first alignment camp:
Forwards: Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Kai Pratt, Emmanuel Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Siphosethu Mnebebele, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Vodacom Bulls), Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Frans Malherbe, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos (all DHL Stormers), Bathobele Hlekani, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter (all Lions).
Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sebastian de Klerk, Cheswill Jooste, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard (all Vodacom Bulls), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Markus Muller, Cobus Reinach, Damian Willemse (all DHL Stormers), Quan Horn, Haashim Pead, Morne van den Berg (all Lions).
