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Rassie Erasmus names two uncapped players in first Bok XV of 2026
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South Africa’s World Rugby Junior World Championship-winning captain from 2025, second-row Riley Norton, has been named in Rassie Erasmus’ starting XV to take on the Barbarians on Saturday at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
The 20-year-old, who captained the Junior Boks to U20 Rugby Championship glory last month, is one of two uncapped players in the starting XV, alongside Bordeaux-Begles’ Investec Champions Cup-winning tighthead prop Carlu Sadie.
The team otherwise has experience across the field, although an injury to Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Handre Pollard’s unavailability due to his participation in the United Rugby Championship final means the one-cap Quan Horn will start at fly-half.
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Other than the returning Faf de Klerk, there is not a lot of experience on the bench, with the uncapped JJ Kotze, Paul de Villiers and Vusi Moyo all named.
Siya Kolisi will captain the side in Gqeberha in the Boks’ first run out of the year.
Springbok team to face the Barbarians:
15 Aphelele Fassi; 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Edwill van der Merwe; 10 Quan Horn, 9 Grant Williams; 1 Ox Nche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 3 Carlu Sadie, 4 Riley Norton, 5 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Paul de Villiers, 21 Evan Roos, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Vusi Moyo
Preceding the match against the Barbarians will be a fixture between South Africa A and Zimbabwe, led by Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captained by Sharks flanker Vincent Tshituka, who will shift to the second-row.
As expected, this side is much more experimental and has far less experience, though World Cup winner Lukhanyo Am will start at inside centre.
SA ‘A’ team to face Zimbabwe:
15 Luan Giliomee; 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Markus Muller, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Zekhethelo Siyaya; 10 Yaqeen Ahmed, 9 Haashim Pead; 1 Boan Venter, 2 Siphosethu Mnebelele, 3 Neethling Fouche, 4 Vincent Tshituka (captain), 5 Ruben van Heerden, 6 Emmanuel Tshituka, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi.
Replacements: 16 Liam van Wyk, 17 Oliver Reid, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Adre Smith, 20 Siba Mahashe, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Imad Khan, 23 Jurenzo Julius
