Erasmus Rewards Rising Star & Reshapes Squad for Year-End European Tour
- Karen Scheepers
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
As South African rugby turns its attention to the northern hemisphere, the Springboks are preparing for one of their most demanding year-end tours in recent memory. Head coach Rassie Erasmus has named a 36-man squad for a five-Test European series in November, blending proven World Cup champions with emerging domestic stars. The announcement marks both continuity and evolution in the Bok setup, an effort to sustain world-class dominance while nurturing the next generation.
The tour begins against Japan at Wembley on 1 November and concludes in Cardiff against Wales on 29 November, featuring stops in Paris, Turin, and Dublin along the way. Erasmus’ choices reflect a carefully measured transition: experienced pillars remain, but there is a visible injection of youth and dynamism, signalling an eye toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle.
A New Generation Takes Its Chance
The biggest headline belongs to Zachary Porthen, the 22-year-old prop and former Junior Bok captain who earns his first Test call-up. Having impressed for the Stormers during the United Rugby Championship, Porthen’s inclusion underlines Erasmus’s faith in the development pathways connecting South Africa’s junior and senior structures.
Joining him in the squad are four players returning from injury, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jean Kleyn, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Edwill van der Merwe, all of whom add depth and experience across the pack and backline. Hooker Johan Grobbelaar and flanker Ben-Jason Dixon also return after standout domestic campaigns.
Notable absentees include veteran hooker Bongi Mbonambi, fullback Willie le Roux, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, and prop Vincent Koch, signalling that Erasmus is rotating his leadership core and refreshing depth. Each remains eligible for recall, with Mbonambi among a 10-man standby group.
Tour Schedule: Five Tests, One Month, Five Nations
Date | Opponent | Venue | City / Stadium |
1 Nov 2025 | Japan | Wembley Stadium | London |
8 Nov 2025 | France | Stade de France | Paris |
15 Nov 2025 | Italy | Allianz Stadium | Turin |
22 Nov 2025 | Ireland | Aviva Stadium | Dublin |
29 Nov 2025 | Wales | Principality Stadium | Cardiff |
The lineup of opponents ensures a mix of styles and challenges: Japan’s tempo, France’s flair, Italy’s structure, Ireland’s efficiency, and Wales’s physicality. Analysts have described it as “a complete spectrum test” for the reigning world champions.
Selection Dynamics and the Message It Sends
Erasmus’s squad selection signals both trust in proven experience and belief in potential. With only one uncapped player, the group leans heavily on established combinations but leaves room for experimentation.
Evolving Leadership – Captain Siya Kolisi stands on the brink of a historic milestone, poised to become only the ninth Springbok centurion when he reaches 100 Tests during the tour.
Balance and Depth – The inclusion of both Manie Libbok and Handré Pollard provides dual playmaking options, while dynamic finishers like Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, and Canan Moodie keep the backline lethal.
Forward Resilience – The depth in the tight five, including Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, and RG Snyman, ensures power and experience in set-pieces; crucial against European opposition.
This squad appears designed for longevity: part celebration of South Africa’s sustained excellence, part investment in its rugby future.
Key Challenges on Tour
Condensed Schedule: Five Tests in as many weeks will stretch recovery and squad rotation to the limit. Managing workloads, especially for forwards, will be key.
Adapting to Conditions: Heavy European pitches and winter weather favour territorial rugby and structured defence. South Africa’s power game must coexist with flexibility in attack.
Elite Opposition: Ireland and France, ranked among the world’s top four, are formidable at home. A 50% win rate on the road would be seen as creditable; a clean sweep would be historic.
Emerging Competition: Japan, Italy, and Wales have all shown the ability to upset higher-ranked teams. Their blend of discipline and counter-attacking flair could test Bok composure.
Squad Composition & Positional Breakdown
Forwards (21)
Player | Position | Club / Franchise |
Lood de Jager | Lock | Wild Knights (Japan) |
Ben-Jason Dixon | Flanker | DHL Stormers |
Pieter-Steph du Toit | Flanker | Toyota Verblitz (Japan) |
Thomas du Toit | Prop | Bath Rugby (England) |
Eben Etzebeth | Lock | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Johan Grobbelaar | Hooker | Vodacom Bulls |
Jean Kleyn | Lock | Munster (IRE) |
Siya Kolisi (captain) | Flanker | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Wilco Louw | Prop | Vodacom Bulls |
Malcolm Marx | Hooker | Kubota Spears (Japan) |
Franco Mostert | Lock | Honda Heat (Japan) |
Ox Nche | Prop | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Ruan Nortje | Lock | Vodacom Bulls |
Zachary Porthen | Prop | DHL Stormers |
Kwagga Smith | Loose Forward | Shizuoka Blue Revs (Japan) |
RG Snyman | Lock | Leinster (IRE) |
Gerhard Steenekamp | Prop | Vodacom Bulls |
Marco van Staden | Flanker | Vodacom Bulls |
Boan Venter | Prop | Edinburgh (Scotland) |
Jan-Hendrik Wessels | Prop | Vodacom Bulls |
Jasper Wiese | No 8 | Urayasu D-Rocks (Japan) |
Backs (15)
Player | Position | Club / Franchise |
Kurt-Lee Arendse | Wing | Vodacom Bulls |
Damian de Allende | Centre | Wild Knights (Japan) |
Andre Esterhuizen | Centre | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu | Flyhalf | DHL Stormers |
Ethan Hooker | Centre | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Cheslin Kolbe | Wing | Suntory Sungoliath (Japan) |
Jesse Kriel | Centre | Canon Eagles (Japan) |
Manie Libbok | Flyhalf | Kintetsu Liners (Japan) |
Canan Moodie | Wing | Vodacom Bulls |
Handré Pollard | Flyhalf | Vodacom Bulls |
Cobus Reinach | Scrumhalf | DHL Stormers |
Morné van den Berg | Scrumhalf | Lions |
Edwill van der Merwe | Wing | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Damian Willemse | Utility Back | DHL Stormers |
Grant Williams | Scrumhalf / Wing | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Standby Players
Forwards (7)
Player | Position | Club / Franchise |
Juarno Augustus | No 8 | Ulster (IRE) |
Neethling Fouché | Prop | DHL Stormers |
Bongi Mbonambi | Hooker | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Salmaan Moerat | Lock | DHL Stormers |
Asenathi Ntlabakanye | Prop | Lions |
Evan Roos | No 8 | DHL Stormers |
Vincent Tshituka | Utility Forward | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Backs (3)
Player | Position | Club / Franchise |
Lukhanyo Am | Centre | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Sebastian de Klerk | Utility Back | Vodacom Bulls |
Makazole Mapimpi | Wing | Hollywoodbets Sharks |
Tactical Outlook
The coaching group faces the twin challenge of maintaining South Africa’s traditional dominance up front while sharpening its multi-phase attack. Expect the Springboks to vary tempo, shifting between controlled territorial pressure and wide, running rugby through the likes of Kolbe, Arendse, and Willemse.
The dual playmaker system of Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Libbok offers adaptability, while the inclusion of multiple back-row ball-carriers like Du Toit, Kolisi, Smith, and Wiese ensures the physical edge remains intact.
Erasmus’s use of rotation will likely define the tour: each week presenting a unique lineup, designed to blend consistency with experimentation.
Broader Implications and the Road Ahead
South Africa enters this tour as reigning Rugby Championship and world champions, but the context goes beyond trophies. With the global rugby landscape tightening, results in Europe affect rankings, sponsorships, and the psychological balance of world rugby power.
Ireland and France, both formidable and disciplined, represent benchmark tests for where the Springboks truly stand in the post-World Cup era. Italy and Wales will challenge composure, while Japan provides a chance to test attacking cohesion in a high-tempo contest.
Observers have noted that this particular tour “will set the tone for the Springboks’ 2026 campaign and determine who shapes the next leadership spine.”
Final Word
The 2025 year-end European tour stands as both a conclusion and a beginning. For Rassie Erasmus and his squad, it’s an opportunity to consolidate dominance, evolve style, and measure progress against the best of the north.
From Porthen’s debut to Kolisi’s likely 100th Test, the journey blends youthful ambition with enduring legacy. The five-week stretch through Europe will test resilience, adaptability, and unity, the very qualities that define the Springboks at their best.
Whatever the outcomes, one thing is clear: South African rugby remains firmly on the front foot, with eyes set not only on winning matches but shaping the next era of champions.
All image credits: Springboks
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