Rassie calls up 5 players for Portugal Test in Bloem as Mostert, De Allende leave Bok camp

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has announced the inclusion of five new players for their final Test of the Castle Lager Incoming Series against Portugal, which will be held in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

The 41-man squad now features seven uncapped players, as the team prepares for this crucial match.

Injuries have forced changes in the squad, with Franco Mostert (lock) and Edwill van der Merwe (winger) sidelined.

The extent of their injuries will be confirmed on Monday.

Additionally, centre Damian de Allende has been granted leave from the camp due to personal reasons.

The new additions to the squad are Elrigh Louw (loose forward) and Ntuthuko Mchunu (prop), who are both capped Springboks, along with uncapped players Quan Horn (fullback), Andre-Hugo Venter (hooker), and Ruan Venter (loose forward).

These players participated in the Bok alignment camps in May and join a group that includes eight of the nine players who were recently released to play in the Carling Currie Cup.

Props: Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (uncapped) (both Vodacom Bulls), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Thomas du Toit (Bath).  

Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Johan Grobbelaar (uncapped) (Vodacom Bulls), Andre-Hugo Venter (uncapped) (DHL Stormers).

Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), RG Snyman (Leinster).Loose forwards: Siya Kolisi (Racing 92), Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden (both Vodacom Bulls), Phepsi Buthelezi (uncapped)(Hollywoodbets Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos (both DHL Stormers), Ruan Venter (uncapped)