Rassie Erasmus cut the Springbok squad to 45 players on Sunday, releasing 11 players and adding one.

The Bok coach made cuts after the first week of training in Johannesburg as the world champions prepare to host the Barbarians in Cape Town on 28 June before kicking off the 2025 season in July with two Tests against Italy and one against Georgia.

Here’s the ins and outs of the squad makeup, including injuries, releases, and new call-ups.

MORE: Springboks 2025 schedule

Injured and Released:
Six players have been released due to injuries and will return to their clubs or franchises for rehabilitation:

Lukhanyo Am
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Cameron Hanekom
Juarno Augustus
Gerhard Steenekamp
Ntuthuko Mchunu

Released to Unions:
Five players were released as Erasmus feels there’s sufficient cover in their positions, though they remain on standby:
Jaden Hendrikse
Jordan Hendrikse
Quan Horn
Renzo du Plessis
Ntokozo Makhaza

Called Up:
Edinburgh prop Boan Venter is the only new addition, earning his first Springbok call-up. The former Cheetahs and Junior Springbok loosehead has impressed in the URC and Challenge Cup and is set to join the squad on Sunday, 29 June.

READ: Boks call up Boan as squad size reduced

Squad Updates:
The majority of the squad assembled in Johannesburg on Sunday, with Bulls players scheduled to join on Monday evening after their URC final defeat at Leinster, and RG Snyman (Tuesday), Handre Pollard and Thomas du Toit (Monday) arriving this week.

45-man Springbok squad:
Forwards:
Thomas du Toit, Ox Nche, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Boan Venter
Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx, Marnus van der Merwe
Vincent Koch, Neethling Fouche, Wilco Louw, Asenathi Ntlabakanye
Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, Jean Kleyn, Cobus Wiese, RG Snyman
Lood de Jager, Ruan Nortje, Franco Mostert
Siya Kolisi, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith
Jean-Luc du Preez, Vincent Tshituka
Evan Roos, Jasper Wiese

Backs:
Faf de Klerk, Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg
Manie Libbok, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Handre Pollard
Cheslin Kolbe, Makazole Mapimpi, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Edwill van der Merwe
Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker
Jesse Kriel, Canan Moodie
Aphelele Fassi, Damian Willemse, Willie le Roux

Photo: Michael Steele/Getty Images

The post Bok squad: Who’s in, who’s out appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

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