Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer announced his 36-man training squad for the upcoming International season and has included 8 new faces while some not-so-new faces return to the mix.
The 36-man Springbok training squad is:
Forwards (20): Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Toyota Cheetahs), Marcel van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls)*, Jannie du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota Cheetahs), Bismarck du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Adriaan Strauss (Toyota Cheetahs), Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), Lood de Jager (Toyota Cheetahs)*, Victor Matfield (Vodacom Bulls), Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls), Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Cheetahs), Marcell Coetzee (Cell C Sharks), Siya Kolisi (DHL Stormers), Willem Alberts (Cell C Sharks), Jacques du Plessis (Vodacom Bulls)*, Teboho Mohoje (Toyota Cheetahs)*, Duane Vermeulen (DHL Stormers), Schalk Burger (DHL Stormers).
Backs (16): Fourie du Preez (Suntory, Japan), Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Bulls), Johan Goosen (Toyota Cheetahs), Marnitz Boshoff (Lions)*, Jean de Villiers (DHL Stormers), Damian De Allende (DHL Stormers)*, Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Bulls), Juan de Jongh (DHL Stormers), JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Bulls), S’bura Sithole (Cell C Sharks)*, Frans Steyn (Cell C Sharks), Lwazi Mvovo (Cell C Sharks), Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Bulls), JP Pietersen (Cell C Sharks), Cornal Hendricks (Toyota Cheetahs)*, Willie Le Roux (Toyota Cheetahs).
Players who were involved with the Springboks last year, but were not considered for selection because of medium to long-term injuries, are Scarra Ntubeni (foot), Chiliboy Ralepelle (knee), Frik Kirsten (neck), Pieter-Steph du Toit (knee), Franco van der Merwe (ankle), Arno Botha (knee), Pierre Spies (bicep), Louis Schreuder (hand), Pat Lambie (bicep), Gio Aplon (elbow) and Jaque Fourie, who could potentially miss the entire Test season because of an ankle injury.
14 South Africa v Wales Durban 17:05
21South Africa v Wales Nelspruit 15:00
28 South Africa v Scotland Port Elizabeth17:00
16 South Africa v Argentina Loftus Versfeld,Pretoria17:00
23 Argentina v South Africa TBC, Argentina 21:10
6 Australia v South Africa Patersons Stadium, Perth12:05
13 New Zealand v South Africa Westpac Stadium,Wellington 09:35
27 South AfricavAustralia DHL Newlands, Cape Town17:00
4 South Africa v New Zealand Ellis Park, Johannesburg 17:00
8 Ireland v South Africa Lansdowne Road 19:30
15 England v South Africa Twickenham
29 Wales v South Africa Millennium Stadium 16:30
