Springbok squad selections bring joy and heartbreak

Springbok squad announcements inevitably produce disappointment and happiness in equal measure.

The 36-man squad announced on Monday by coach Rassie Erasmus is no exception. Here, we look at some of the players who are celebrating or choking back the tears.

Zachary Porthen

While the dynamic 21-year-old would have been on the Springbok radar for some time, it has been his form for the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship (URC) that convinced Erasmus to give the former Junior Springbok captain a crack.

Porthen enjoyed impressive cameos off the bench against Leinster and the Scarlets and started last week in the 31-12 defeat of Zebre.

Bongi Mbonambi

If Porthen’s elevation to the Springboks was down to his URC form, the opposite can be said for the veteran hooker from the Sharks, whose demotion has been in the pipeline for some time.

Perhaps Erasmus is giving him a warning — he is on the standby list — but time is running out for the 34-year-old. He won two World Cups, but contesting a third in 2027 looks beyond his reach.

Johan Grobbelaar

The recall of “Grobbies” is another illustration of how provincial form can affect your Springbok status.

The Paarl Gymnasium product earned three caps for the Boks in 2024, only to drop out of the picture. But Rassie likes fighters and has clearly been impressed with how the man in the red scrumcap has put his head down at the Bulls and worked harder than ever. He has been excellent in the URC, and a recall is his reward.

Gerhard Steenekamp

The Bulls prop was out for most of a year with a knee injury after featuring strongly for the Boks in 2024.

Alongside Wilco Louw, he was double trouble for both the Bulls and the Springboks. Steenekamp made his comeback at the start of the URC, and four games later, he has shown Erasmus he is fighting fit and stronger than ever. He dominated his opposite number last week when the Bulls beat Connacht.

Vincent Koch

Like Mbonambi, Koch is a Sharks front-row forward on the out. For so long, the dead ringer for cartoon character Mr Incredible did incredible things as a key part of the Bomb Squad, but at age 35, his time looks limited.

The likes of Porthen and Asenathi Ntlabakanye are the future. Still, Koch and Mbonambi have the URC to show Erasmus they are not finished, and if they get fired up for the Sharks, it will be good news for beleaguered coach John Plumtree.