Concerning injury forces Springboks to extend squad with new addition

Rassie Erasmus has added Stormers No.8 Evan Roos to his South Africa squad following an injury to Cameron Hanekom.

The Bulls No.8 was carted from the field with a hamstring injury following a clearout at a ruck from Springboks captain Siya Kolisi in the second half of the United Rugby Championship semi-final victory over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The recently crowned Next-Gen player of the season was given a morphine whistle on the field and was seen on crutches after the match.

There is no official update on the injury sustained by the 23-year-old, but the initial signs do not look promising.

Roos’ inclusion now extends the squad to 55 players, who will assemble on Sunday in Johannesburg ahead of a contest with the Barbarians at the end of the month in Cape Town, and Tests against Italy and Georgia in July.

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The Stormers loose forward, who earned the last of his seven Springboks caps against Portugal almost a year ago, was included in Erasmus’ alignment camp in February, but missed May’s camp.

Regardless of the severity of his injury, Hanekom would not have teamed up with the Springboks this week as he and his Bulls team-mates are preparing for the URC final against Leinster at Croke Park next year. Likewise, Leinster’s RG Snyman will join the squad at a later date, as will Bath’s Thomas du Toit and Leicester Tigers’ Handre Pollard, who will battle for the Gallagher Premiership title next week.

Updated Springboks squad (in alphabetical order):
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Renzo du Plessis (Emirates Lions), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions), Evan Roos, (DHL Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)

Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg, Edwilll van der Merwe (both Emirates Lions), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks)