BREAKING: Rassie Erasmus names 43-man Springbok squad! No Duane Vermeulen or Frans Steyn!

Rassie Erasmus has officially announced his 43-man Springbok squad with United Rugby Championship finalists the Bulls and Stormers dominating the side and no less than 8 uncapped players…

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The squad features a couple of big surprises with a total of 8 uncapped players being named. Mainly consisting of the URC-finalists but also two up-and-coming Sharks youngsters. Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Ruan Nortje, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salman Moerat, Grant Williams and veteran Deon Fourie all received call-ups.

There are also shock exclusions to regular household names Bok fans have grown accustomed to. Frans Steyn and Duane Vermeulen missed out too.

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The squad was announced on Saturday afternoon, just moments after the Stormers clinched a dramatic 17-15 win over Ulster in Cape Town.

Manie Libbok slotted an 87th minute penalty to book an epic and tantalizing all-South African final next weekend between the Stormers and Bulls.

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SPRINGBOK SQUAD:

*Uncapped players

This squad was brought to you by SuperSport.

Springbok squad:

Props:
Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks)
Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers)
Vincent Koch (Saracens)
Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers)
Ntuthuko Mchunu (Cell C Sharks) *
Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks)
Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)

Hookers:
Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux)
Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)
Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks)

Locks:
Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks)
Eben Etzebeth (Toulon)
Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers) *
Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) *
Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers)

Loose forwards:
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz)
Marcell Coetzee (Vodacom Bulls)
Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks)
Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) *
Evan Roos (DHL Stormers) *
Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo)
Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)

Utility forwards:
Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse)
Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers) *
Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)

Scrumhalves:
Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)
Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks)
Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers)
Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)
Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) *

Flyhalves:
Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes)
Handre Pollard (Montpellier)

Centres:
Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks)
Damian de Allende (Munster)
Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)

Outside Backs:
Aphelele Fassi (Cell C Sharks)
Warrick Gelant (DHL Stormers)
Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon)
Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz)
Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks)

Utility Backs:
Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) *
Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers)

More details to emerge shortly…