Meet the new Springboks
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Meet the new Springboks
Following the team announcement from Rassie Erasmus with his squad to face Australia on Saturday, he has confirmed an unfamiliar trio in the nation's matchday squad list.
We take a look at the new Springboks:
Lizo Gqoboka
Gqoboka's inclusion in the Springboks lineup to face Australia comes as no surprise following his excellent seasons with the Bulls in Super Rugby.
Considering the powerful front-rower only started playing professional rugby at age 19, he has quickly transformed his skills and technical game while also displaying some explosive running ability.
Although he hasn't taken the field for the Boks, the 29-year-old was included as one of eight uncapped players in the squad for the June internationals against France.
Gqoboka took his Super Rugby cap tally to 53 Super Rugby caps as the Bulls made their way to the semi-finals of the competition and forced his way into the 2019 Springbok Rugby Championship squad.
The accomplished performer is named at 17 for the Springboks and has earned his place in the squad ahead of the World Cup in Japan.
Herschel Jantjies
Having started his career at Western Province at youth level, Herschell Jantjies, no relation to Elton Jantjies, went on to represent UWC in the Varsity Shield and was named on the Varsity Cup Dream Team to face the U20 Springboks in 2017.
Following countless strings of impressive performances from then on, Jantjies has been described as "one of the great" scrum-halves in South African rugby by Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick.
At the age of 21, the Stormers No 9 made a cameo off the bench for the Scarlets while they were on tour in South Africa in 2017 due to an injury crisis.
The now 23-year-old has enjoyed a stellar full rookie season in Super Rugby scoring five tries and made 15 appearances, mostly in the starting line up.
Rynhardt Elstadt
The versatile Elstadt is no stranger to representing a national side as he was selected for the South African U20s in 2009, and went on to make his senior debut for the Vodacom and Currie Cup teams in 2010 before his Super Rugby debut in 2011.
His inclusion in the senior Springboks side comes after his incredible displays impressed coach Rassie Erasmus when he played for Toulouse in the Top 14.
The 29-year-old enjoyed an outstanding start to his career in Europe making 34 appearances in his first two seasons in the Top14 and featured in all 8 of Toulouse's games as they reached the Champions Cup semi-finals.
