Veteran Fourie still in the mix as Rassie invites 56 players to first Springbok camp

Rassie Erasmus, head coach of South Africa. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports /Gallo Images

By Craig Ray

14 Feb 2025

There is the usual meeting of old and new faces in the first Bok training squad alignment camp for 2025.

Deon Fourie, the unlikely hero in the Rugby World Cup 2023 final, is one of the familiar names from a group of 56 players invited to the first Springbok alignment camp of 2025.

As in previous years, Coach Rassie Erasmus, has revealed his thinking early in the year, while at the same time sending a message to players omitted that it’s not too late to come back.

Overseas-based players were not included in this group, aiming to gather in Cape Town on Sunday, 9 March.

The coaching staff will assemble on 7 March for a two-day workshop to finalise their planning.

The Boks will meet Italy and Georgia in July with the British & Irish Lions on tour in Australia.

That’s followed by the Rugby Championship, which includes back-t0-back away Tests against the All Blacks in Auckland and Wellington.

The traditional November tour follows, with a tough schedule featuring France and Ireland, as well as Wales and Italy.

Deon Fourie applauds the fans Deon Fourie of South Africa applauds the fans after their victory in the Rugby World Cup 2023 final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Stade de France on 28 October 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images)

Fantastic Fourie

Fourie, whose series of injuries kept him on the sidelines between the World Cup final in Paris in November 2023 until December 2024, is unsurprisingly in the mix.

The veteran utility forward, aged 38, is unlikely to go all the way to Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia. But it’s clear that his brilliant breakdown ability, his high work rate and intense competitive and combative skills will still add value in a Bok environment.

Fourie’s short but dynamic 13-Test international career, which 12 months ago looked over, may have some life in it yet.

Erasmus and former coach Jacques Nienaber picked Fourie for a Test debut at age 35 in 2022, with a very specific task and role in mind. He provided the Boks with flexibility on the bench as someone able to play both flank and hooker.

The Boks were no strangers to using a 6-2 split between forwards and back on the bench, well before Fourie’s belated arrival on the scene.

But as we now know, Fourie’s particular skills, his ability to forage manically and win the breakdown battle, coupled with his mobility and high work rate and skills as a hooker, allowed the coaches to hatch another plan. The 7-1 split on the bench.

Just having him in the group, sharing his experience with youngsters over the course of the season, will add value.

Among the youngsters that may glean some insights from the likes of Fourie and other old heads such as captain Siya Kolisi and lock Eben Etzebeth, are exciting centre Jurenzo Julius.

Jurenzo Julius of the Sharks on the attack during the Currie Cup, Premier Division match between DHL Western Province and Hollywoodbets Sharks at DHL Stadium on 24 August 2024 in Cape Town. (Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images)

New faces

The 20-year-old Julius rubs shoulders with Bok legends at the Sharks, but this is his first time in a senior national camp, having been a Junior Springbok star.

Julius is just one of the players who have come through the Elite Player Development system set up more than decade ago by Erasmus.
The group includes 18 members of the 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning squad — 10 of which were also crowned champions at the 2019 RWC, and five who participated in the 2015 international extravaganza — with an additional 22 capped national players named in the group.

A handful of players will get to work with the coaching staff once again after either being involved in previous alignment camps or the national set-up, as well as the South African “A” team. This group includes the likes of Celimpilo Gumede, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Henco van Wyk.

Players Julius, JF van Heerden and Reinhardt Ludwig will get their first taste of Springbok rugby.

Notable omissions for this camp are Sharks flyhalf Siya Masuku, who featured in the camps in 2024, and prop Steven Kitshoff, whose future remains uncertain after a neck injury. Elrigh Louw is also out with a serious knee injury.

Scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies is also on the outside, but Stormers teammate Paul de Wet has been included.

Tthere are indications that hooker Akker van der Merwe, who briefly featured under Erasmus in 2018, might be back on the radar.

Cobus Wiese, brother of Bok No 8 Jasper, has also been included after his return from England to play for the Bulls.

Rassie Erasmus, head coach of South Africa. (Photo: Steve Haag Sports /Gallo Images)

High standards

After two highly successful years, which has seen the Boks win 22 of the 26 Tests they’ve played (85%), including RWC 2023, the 2024 Rugby Championship and the Freedom Cup (for Tests against the All Blacks), among other silverware, the pressure is on to keep performing.

Although home Tests against Italy and Georgia, to start the international season, look like easy outings, the Boks take nothing for granted.

Italy have been on an upward curve and Erasmus is likely to want to blood youngsters against Georgia.

Two home Tests against Australia, who will come off the back of the Lions series, provide a good chance for mixing and matching the team as well.

The Tests against the Wallabies on 16 and 23 August come before the two away Tests against the All Blacks on 6 and 13 September.

If we’ve learned anything from history it’s that Erasmus is likely to play his “first” team against Australia on 16 August, and then fly them out to New Zealand to acclimatise before meeting the All Blacks, leaving an inexperienced team to take on the Wallabies in match two.

“Our alignment camps have proven invaluable in the last few years as it offers us the opportunity to present our structures for the season, as well as the Springbok culture and way of doing things,” said Erasmus.

“The focus at this camp will be to get everyone on the same page for the 2025 season, which will be vital in laying a good foundation for us to build on with a challenging campaign coming up.

Most of these players have formed part of our structures at some stage in the last seven years, and their experience and familiarity with the way we do things at the Springboks will be invaluable in guiding the younger players, while others have been exposed to our structures before, so they have a good understanding of the way we operate.

“I’m also excited for the new players in the mix, who have made their mark at franchise level, and we are excited to see them receive this opportunity to get a taste of what is expected of them at the highest level.” DM

Forwards: Ethan Bester, Phepsi Buthelezi, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane (all Hollywoodbets Sharks); Ben-Jason Dixon, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter (all DHL Stormers); Renzo du Plessis, Francke Horn, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter (all Emirates Lions); Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Wilco Louw, Reinhardt Ludwig, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker van der Merwe, JF van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Vodacom Bulls).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams (all Sharks); Paul de Wet, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (all Stormers); Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Henco van Wyk (all Lions); Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier (all Bulls).

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South Africa

Fantastic Fourie

New faces

High standards