Coetzee, Fourie and Gelant crack Springbok squad as coaches reward URC form

Marcell Coetzee, Deon Fourie, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Warrick Gelant were named in the 43-man Springbok squad that features eight uncapped players and numerous mouth-gawping recalls and call-ups.

Among those receiving their first call-ups were in-form Stormers loose-forward Evan Roos, Bulls trio Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortje and Arendse, as well as Sharks prop Mchunu. However, there was no space for Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar, who won Man-of-the-Match when his team beat Leister in Friday night's United Rugby Championship semi-final.

Harlequins centre Andre Esterhuizen also received a recall into the squad that will prepare to face Wales in three Tests beginning in Pretoria in July, before the Rugby Championship and later the end-year tour to Europe.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, who gave little away in midweek whether seemingly unfancied form players would make the cut, recalled Bulls captain Coetzee and Stormers talisman Gelant, whom many were calling to be included in the national team.

More to follow …

Props:

Thomas du Toit (Sharks)

Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)

Vincent Koch (Saracens)

Frans Malherbe (Stormers)

Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks)

Ox Nche (Sharks)

Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)

Hookers:

Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux)

Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)

Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks),

Locks:

Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks)

Eben Etzebeth (Sharks)

Salmaan Moerat (Stormers)

Ruan Nortje (Bulls)

Marvin Orie (Stormers)

Loose forwards:

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz)

Marcell Coetzee (Bulls)

Siya Kolisi (Sharks)

Elrigh Louw (Bulls)

Evan Roos (Stormers)

Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo)

Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)

Utility forwards:

Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse)

Deon Fourie (Stormers)

Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) 

Scrumhalves:

Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)

Jaden