DRC-born Tshituka brothers cleared for Springboks call-up

Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka have been cleared for Springbok selection after reportedly receiving their South African identity cards, ending a long administrative delay.

According to Rapport the Democratic Republic of Congo-born loose forward brothers are now eligible for full integration into the national setup

Although both had already obtained South African citizenship and passports, the absence of physical ID cards meant they were not considered for Rassie Erasmus’ first alignment camp of 2025 in Cape Town.

The Congolese brothers’ ID numbers had been issued shortly before the camp, but the paperwork was not finalised in time. With this hurdle now apprently cleared, the Sharks duo are available for potential inclusion ahead of the upcoming international season.

Vincent Tshituka (6’4, 110kg) rose through the ranks with the Lions before joining the Sharks. The 26-year-old is well known for his versatility and physicality to the back row. He was named SA Rugby Young Player of the Year in 2021.

Younger brother Emmanuel impressed with his agility and breakdown presence since making his debut for the Sharks. Still in the early stages of his professional career, the 23-year-old is seen as a rising prospect in South African rugby.

Alignment camps have been a regular feature of Erasmus’ time as Springboks’ boss and he wrapped up his most recent gathering in March.

“The purpose of the alignment camps are to get everyone on the same page about what the year looks like, to set our goals, and delve into what we are expecting from the players, while also reminding them of a few things we do on and off the field,” said Erasmus.

“This camp was productive in terms of the bigger picture for the team in many ways. Not only from a coaching staff perspective in general, and especially with Felix (Jones) rejoining us and slotting in really well, but we also touched on all of the other areas that make the team function optimally such as the operations, medical, media and the technical areas, which are all very important.

“When we play a Test match on a Saturday, it’s a product of all of those aspects, so the camp was not just about aligning as a group but making sure that when we kick off our season, everyone is aligned and ready to go.”