Siya Kolisi has retained his place in a Springbok squad that sees Manie Libbok recalled and Pieter-Steph du Toit rested for the Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Santiago.
Rassie Erasmus named a 28-man squad for their short tour to Argentina where they will face Los Pumas at Estadio Unico Madre Ciudades in Santiago on Saturday 21 September in their penultimate Rugby Championship clash.
Erasmus opted to rest seven players who have had a heavy workload in the last few months with an eye on the final round of the competition in Nelspruit against Argentina on Saturday 28 September.
The seven players who will not travel to Argentina are Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Frans Malherbe (prop), Pieter-Steph du Toit (loose forward), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (flyhalf), Damian de Allende (centre), Cheslin Kolbe (wing), and Willie le Roux (fullback).
All of them will be placed on a specialised training programme to keep them sharp with an eye on rejoining the group in Mpumalanga upon their return from Argentina.
Johan Grobbelaar is back in the squad after participating in the Australian leg of the tournament, where the Boks collected a full house of points, and will cover hooker along with Malcolm Marx and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who can also play prop.
Also recalled is World Cup winning flyhalf Libbok, who returns to the squad after getting game time with DHL Western Province in the Currie Cup.
Kolisi has been retained in the squad despite suffering a nasal bone fracture in the clash with the All Blacks at Ellis Park. The Bok captain played through the injury in the rematch with New Zealand in Cape Town and will tour with the team.
Springbok squad for Argentina tour:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Vincent Koch, Ox Nche (both Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls).
Loose forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Utility forward: Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Aphelele Fassi, Makazole Mapimpi (both Sharks).
Utility back: Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls).
Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
