Springboks Name 43-Man Squad for Argentina Test and All Blacks Series

The Springboks are entering a high-stakes stretch of the 2026 international season, balancing the immediate challenge of Los Pumas in Argentina with the much-anticipated RGR series against the All Blacks. Having won all three of their recent Nations Championship Tests against England, Scotland, and Wales, the team now looks toward the next phase of their schedule. To navigate this, Erasmus has opted for a strategic division of his resources, splitting his 43-man squad into two distinct groups to manage player load and injury recovery.

Strategic Squad Split

The group will assemble in Johannesburg this Sunday to begin preparations. Erasmus intends to select a limited travelling party for the August 8 Test in Buenos Aires, while the remaining players will continue training in Johannesburg under the supervision of a group of coaches and management to prepare for the Tests against New Zealand.

“We put a lot of thought into how we will manage the entire group of players to give everyone a chance to stake a claim for places in the squad for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series (against New Zealand), and we decided that splitting the squad into two groups will be best for the Springbok team and the players to play their way into the squad,” said Erasmus.

Stormers. SA Rugby

Erasmus added: Some players are returning from injury and need some valuable game time, so depending on how they progress from their injuries during next week’s training camp, we will decide who we will take to Argentina. He noted that he was wary of the challenge Argentina posed, given that the teams have met annually in the Rugby Championship.

Returning Veterans and Released Players

The depth of the squad is bolstered by the return of 10 players who were previously sidelined by injury. These seasoned campaigners include locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, utility forward Franco Mostert, loose forward Siya Kolisi, flyhalves Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Handre Pollard, utility backs Ethan Hooker and Canan Moodie, flanker and centre Andre Esterhuizen, and scrumhalf Morne van den Berg. Notably, neither Etzebeth nor De Jager have worn the green and gold jersey this season, while Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been out since sustaining an injury towards the end of the Vodacom URC season. Pollard has been nursing a hamstring injury.

Simultaneously, Erasmus released five players to represent their franchises in tour games against New Zealand. They are: Ntuthuko Mchunu (prop), Evan Roos (No 8), Andre-Hugo Venter (hooker), Embrose Papier (scrumhalf), and Jaco Williams (wing). Erasmus stressed that these players remain in the mix for the final squad that will contest the RGR series.

Meanwhile, lock Ruben van Heerden, who made his debut in the 43-0 win over Wales, is the only player from the opening leg of the Nations Championship omitted from the two groups as he settles in at his new club, Montpellier. Van Heerden will remain on standby for the Boks.

The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Schedule

Following the warmup Test in Argentina, the series against New Zealand begins at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on August 22. The series proceeds to Cape Town for the second Test, and the South African leg concludes at the FNB Stadium outside Johannesburg on September 5. The two teams will then fly to Baltimore, USA, for the final game of the rubber.

Following the 43-0 win against Wales in Durban, Erasmus praised the performance of debutants such as No 10 Vusi Moyo, wing Jaco Williams, prop Carlu Sadie, and lock Ruben van Heerden, stating, a lot of guys came through this Test match with right tick marks.

Sources: News24, Planet Rugby.