FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - South Africa v Ireland - Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa - July 6, 2024 South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus before the match REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
(Reuters) - South Africa have added five players to their squad for the one-off test with Portugal in Bloemfontein on Saturday but will be without lock Franco Mostert and centre Damian de Allende, officials have confirmed.
Mostert was injured in the 25-24 loss to Ireland in Durban on Saturday, while De Allende has been released for personal reasons, though it is likely the duo would have been rested.
Winger Edwill van der Merwe also misses out with injury having been in a strong position to start.
Loose forwards Elrigh Louw and Ruan Venter, prop Ntuthuko Mchunu, hooker Andre-Hugo Venter and fullback Quan Horn have been added to the squad with coach Rassie Erasmus suggesting he will field a much-changed team against the Portuguese.
"It was always part of our planning to expose a few players to top class international rugby against Portugal in line with our objective to build squad depth with an eye on the 2027 Rugby World Cup," Erasmus said.
The world champion Springboks will also play six tests in the Rugby Championship and three more on a tour of Europe in November.
"This is a long and challenging season and it’s vital that we manage the players well to allow them to regenerate in order to maximise their performances," Erasmus added.
Saturday’s test against the Portuguese will be a first ever meeting between the two sides. Erasmus is expected to name his match-day 23 on Tuesday.
South Africa squad:
Props: Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Frans Malherbe, Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane, Thomas du Toit
Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx, Johan Grobbelaar, Andre-Hugo Venter
Locks: Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, RG Snyman
Loose forwards: Siya Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden, Phepsi Buthelezi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos, Ruan Venter, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk, Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg
Flyhalves: Handre Pollard, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Manie Libbok
Centres: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Aphelele Fassi, Quan Horn.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
