Newly capped Cameron Hanekom and skipper Elrigh Louw are among the returning Springboks named in a 34-man Vodacom Bulls squad for a two-match European tour.
Jake White has named a formidable group for the trip to Ireland and England. The Herd face Connacht in round 7 of the Vodacom URC in Galway on Saturday, before kicking off their 2024-25 campaign in the Champions Cup against Saracens at the StoneX Stadium a week later.
The squad features a balance of seasoned campaigners and the Boks who were on national duty in the UK over the past three weeks.
There are also returns for flyhalf Johan Goosen and utility forward Jannes Kirsten, who missed out on the three-week tour prior to the international break.
The tour party also includes Pumas lock Deon Slabbert, who returns to the Pretoria outfut on a short-term loan stint while Reinhardt Ludwig and co-captain Ruan Nortje are sidelined due to injury. The versatile Ludwig is nursing a strain while Bok powerhouse Nortje injured his leg in the buildup to the Scotland Test.
Full Bulls squad – Forwards: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Cameron Hanekom, Celimpilo Gumede, Cobus Wiese, Deon Slabbert, Dylan Smith, Elrigh Louw, Francois Klopper, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jannes Kirsten, JF van Heerden, Johan Grobbelaar, Juann Else, Kuyenzeka Xaba, Marcell Coetzee, Marco van Staden, Mornay Smith, Sebastian Lombard, Ruan Vermaak, Wilco Louw. Backs: Aphiwe Dyantyi, Boeta Chamberlain, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Devon Williams, Embrose Papier, Harold Vorster, Johan Goosen, Keagan Johannes, Sebastian de Klerk, Stedman Gans, Willie le Roux, Zak Burger.
Photo: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
