The school of hard Boks: Why the 2025 junior stars are already aligning

If there is one thing we’ve learnt over eight years of the Rassie Erasmus Springbok era, it’s to try and read the reasons behind the identities of the players in the first training group of a season.

On Wednesday, Erasmus named 49 players to attend the Boks’ first “alignment” camp of 2026, which included 11 uncapped players, in Cape Town next week.

Cue social media frenzy.

Last year’s schoolboy superstars Markus Muller (centre) from Paarl Gym and prop Kai Pratt from Oakdale have been fast-tracked into the Bok training group.

It is certainly a noteworthy inclusion, and an indication that the exceptional duo are firmly on the Bok radar. But it’s also likely that they won’t feature for the senior national team in 2026.

Both are currently on tour in Georgia with the SA U20 squad, and barring injury, should feature in the Junior World Championships back in Georgia in July where South Africa will defend the title they won in Italy in 2025.

What their inclusion, and the addition of current SA U20 captain Riley Norton (lock) and last year’s Junior Bok stars Haashim Pead (scrumhalf), Cheswill Jooste (wing), Jaco Williams (wing) and Batho Hlekani (flank), indicates is that Erasmus is operating on two fronts.

The Bok mastermind is both juggling his current needs, which sees four Tests against the All Blacks in 2026 as well as the inaugural Nations Championship, while also plotting for beyond Rugby World Cup 2027.

Erasmus knows what his ideal Bok side would look like if there were a Test match next week, but he still needs to iron out some depth issues in the wider playing group.

Evolution over revolution

It’s clear from this training group, which also sees the recall of Sharks halfbacks Jordan and Jaden Hendrikse, who were out of the frame in 2025, and veteran prop Frans Malherbe, that experience is still highly valued.

The training squad doesn’t include overseas-based Boks, which rules out about a dozen players, yet there are enough players to give a hint at Erasmus’s thinking.

In some ways, Malherbe’s inclusion, despite not having played since the final of Rugby World Cup 2023 due to a serious back injury, is a significant signal of intent.

Despite all the Boks’ scrum dominance in recent years, Malherbe is the “anchor” Erasmus wants for the All Blacks series. It underlines the view that while you blood youth, you don’t discard the scrum DNA that wins championships.

There are 14 World Cup winners in the group, in addition to the 11 uncapped players. This is a squad capable of fulfilling immediate needs, but also preparing for life after RWC 2027.

Familiar names such as Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and Handrè Pollard suggest they will lead the “A-side” during the high-stakes Nations Championship opener against England (4 July) and the first two All Blacks Tests.

Beyond that though, there is a need to build experience.

The Bridge

In a recent series of podcasts, Erasmus emphasised that 2026 is about “getting caps into players” rather than just winning a set number of games.

Players such as Cameron Hanekom (looseforward), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (hooker/prop) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (flyhalf) are now being treated as senior regulars.

The inclusion of both Emmanuel and Vincent Tshituka addresses Erasmus’s desire for “athletic utility forwards” who can match the high-tempo style of the All Blacks and the evolving northern hemisphere teams.

And Stormers back row limpet Paul de Villiers, who seems to collect a man-of-the-match award every time he plays, has received a deserved call-up.

The most striking aspect of this squad is the five U20 players, including Norton and Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker). This aligns perfectly with Erasmus’s “succession blueprint” he’s mentioned before.

Erasmus has hinted at wanting 40% of every match-day 23 to be players in their athletic prime for RWC 2027. By bringing 18- and 19-year-olds into a “boardroom and gym” environment now, he is demystifying the Springbok jersey.

The selection of young props such as Pratt and Zachary Porthen demonstrates a level of “future-proofing” the front row by acknowledging that stalwarts such as Malherbe and Ox Nche may need successors ready by next year.

Pratt is only 19 and is the definition of a modern prop. He has the scrumming fundamentals of an old-school tighthead but carries like a looseforward.

With the decorated Bongi Mbonambi nearing the end of his international career, Mnebelele is being fast-tracked. He is what Erasmus described as a “combat hooker” – aggressive and a pinpoint lineout thrower under pressure.

Emmanuel Tshituka, who is finally eligible for the Boks, offers the same high-motor, rangy athleticism as Pieter-Steph du Toit with the explosiveness to play No 8.

Norton has something Erasmus values highly – natural leadership as well as the ability to play lock and blindside flank.

Hlekani is a massive human (close to 120kg) who moves like a wing. It’s possible he is being groomed for the “Bomb Squad” in the near future as someone who can come on at the 50th minute and physically overwhelm a tiring opposition pack.

De Villiers is an out-and-out fetcher, which is something the Boks under Erasmus have not utilised, preferring to operate with several players competing for the ball.

With Deon Fourie’s future unclear and Kwagga Smith used as a specialist impact player off the bench, De Villiers could be groomed as a starting No 6 who can create havoc for the opposition at the breakdown. He is also a former Junior Bok skipper and brings strong leadership qualities.

Speed

The likes of Pead, Jooste, Muller and Williams bring sheer pace and X-factor to the group and will benefit hugely from working with attack coach Tony Brown.

Pead might be one to feature in a Test this year while Jooste is a ready-made long-term replacement for Cheslin Kolbe. Williams is remarkably similar to Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Muller has the qualities to evolve into a newer-model Damian de Allende.

“This is an exciting group of players who have all made a strong statement for their respective provincial unions,” Erasmus said.

“We are delighted to have some of the finest young talent in the country attending the camp to expose them to our environment and structures.

“Bathobele, Haashim and Cheswill trained with us for a few days last year, and we saw how valuable that experience was for them, so hopefully all the young players and those attending their first alignment camp will also gain a greater understanding of how the team operates.

“The coaches and management staff have been working around the clock to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for what will be a challenging season

“All the operational and logistical aspects are in place for everything to run as smoothly as possible, so we are excited for the season ahead.”

The Springboks will host a second alignment camp in May.

The Boks meet the Barbarians in Gqeberha on 20 June, followed by three local matches in the Nations Championship, against England in Johannesburg (4 July), Scotland in Pretoria (11 July) and Wales in Durban (18 July).

They will then meet Argentina in Buenos Aires (8 August) and the All Blacks in four Tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in August and September.

This will be followed by an away Test against the Wallabies in Australia (27 September), before the second leg of the Nations Championship kicks off in Europe, with matches against Italy (7 November), France (13 November) and Ireland (21 November), before the Finals Weekend in London (27 to 29 November). DM

Players invited to the first Springbok alignment camp:

Forwards: Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche, Kai Pratt, Emmanuel Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka (all Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Siphosethu Mnebebele, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Bulls), Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Neethling Fouche, Frans Malherbe, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Riley Norton, Zachary Porthen, Evan Roos (all Stormers), Bathobele Hlekani, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter (all Lions).

Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Makazole Mapimpi, Edwill van der Merwe, Grant Williams, Jaco Williams (all Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sebastian de Klerk, Cheswill Jooste, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard (all Bulls), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Markus Muller, Cobus Reinach, Damian Willemse (all Stormers), Quan Horn, Haashim Pead, Morne van den Berg (all Lions).