Springboks name 43-man squad for Argentina, All Blacks clashes

CAPE TOWN, July 22 : South Africa have named 43 players for their test series against New Zealand and a warm-up international against Argentina in what coach Rassie Erasmus says will be a strategic approach to selection.

A total of 10 seasoned Springboks return from injury after missing this month’s three tests in the new Nations Championship, where South Africa won home clashes against England, Scotland and Wales on successive weekends.

Captain Siya Kolisi and exciting flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu are back as well as forwards Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert and backs Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard and Morne van den Berg.

As a result, six players drop out of the squad with Ntuthuko Mchunu, Embrose Papier, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter and Jaco Williams available to play for their franchises against the All Blacks, who begin their eight-match South African tour next month.

Lock Ruben van Heerden, who made his debut against Wales last Saturday, has been put on standby as he moves to French club Montpellier.

"We put a lot of thought into how we will manage the entire group of players to give everyone a chance to stake a claim for places in the squad for the (New Zealand) series, and we decided that splitting the squad into two groups will be best for the Springbok team and the players to play their way into the squad," Erasmus said in a statement on Monday.

"Some players are returning from injury and need some valuable game time, so depending on how they progress from their injuries during next week’s training camp, we will decide who we will take to Argentina, while the other guys in the 43-man squad will remain behind in Johannesburg with a group of coaches and management to