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Despite injury concerns for forwards Peter-Stephen du Toit and Malcolm Marks, South Africa has included the two forwards in its 33-man squad for the first two games of the Rugby Championship, but several other senior players will be absent.
Hooker Marks has a fractured tibia but is expected to be available for the Springboks’ second game against Australia in Perth on August 17. Loose forward Du Toit should be ready for the first game against the Kangaroos in Brisbane a week earlier.
The team will be led by captain Siya Kolisi. The returning Ruan Nortje is the only player in the squad having missed the two-match series against Ireland and the match against Portugal earlier this month.
He came on as a replacement for Franco Mostert, whose injury list includes second-row players Jean Kleyn and Lood de Jager, prop Steven Kitshoff, halfbacks Faf de Klerk and Jaden Hendrikse, centre Canan Moodie and defender Damian Willemse.
They remain on the sidelines along with suspended No.8 Jasper Wiese and centre Andre Esterhuizen, who was sent off in Saturday’s 64-21 win over Portugal and is awaiting the decision of a disciplinary hearing.
They were all part of the team that lifted the Rugby World Cup in France last October, but their absence gives coach Lacy Erasmus the chance to widen his selection pool.
“This is a high quality group of players, a mix of young players and experienced players, and we believe this is the best we can select,” Erasmus said at a South African Rugby news conference.
“We rested some players before the Portugal game to get them back in shape for this game and we were pleased with the energy they brought to the team.
“We have also recruited several young players who have performed strongly in testing so far this season.”
Erasmus added that they will review the squad ahead of two home games against New Zealand and home and away games against Argentina later in the campaign.
South Africa squad:
Forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon, Peter-Stephen du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Sia Kolisi (captain), Ellie Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bungie Mbonambi, Salman Morath, Ox Nesh, Ruan Nortje, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Defenders: Lucanio Ame, Kurt-Lee Arends, Damian De Allende, Affilele Fassi, Sacha Van Berg-Mgomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Krill, Willy Le Roux, Makazo Mapipi, Mani Libok, Handre Pollard, Kobus Reinach, Morn Van den Berg, Grant Williams.
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