Bok coach Rassie picks uncapped Junior Springbok prop Zachary Porthen for November tour

Former Junior Springbok prop and captain Zachary Porthen is the surprise package in the Springbok squad announced on Monday for the end-of-year tour to Europe.

Coach Rassie Erasmus named a powerful 36-man squad, which features four players who will return to the Bok set-up for the first time this season.

Erasmus also placed 10 players on standby, including uncapped Ulster and former World Rugby U20 Championship Player of the Tournament, Juarno Augustus, and Bulls back Sebastian de Klerk.

The Boks will face Japan in the first of five Tests on consecutive Saturdays at Wembley Stadium in London on 1 November, before lining up against France at Stade de France in Paris (8 November), Italy at the Allianz Stadium, Turin (15 November), Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (22 November), and Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (29 November).

Porthen, who made his Stormers’ United Rugby Championship debut in May and is currently on tour with the team in Italy, is the only uncapped player in the 36-man squad, who will depart for London in different groups from their respective franchises and clubs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Ben-Jason Dixon (flanker), Johan Grobbelaar (hooker), and Gerhard Steenekamp (prop) will make their first appearances for the team this season, while Jean Kleyn (lock), who suffered an injury during the team’s opening match of the year against the Barbarians, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Edwill van der Merwe (both wings), are all back from injury.

The squad includes 21 forwards and 15 backline players, while the standby list features seven forwards – Augustus (No 8), Neethling Fouche (prop), Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Salmaan Moerat (lock), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), Evan Roos (No 8), and Vincent Tshituka (utility forward) – and three backs in Lukhanyo Am (centre), De Klerk (utility back), and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).

Springbok tour squad

Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).

Players on standby

Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Ulster), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Evan Roos (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Sebastian De Klerk (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks).