Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana are included just over a week after guiding Toulon to Heineken Cup glory at the Millennium Stadium, while Saracens hooker Schalk Brits is given the chance to put his Welsh misery behind him after ending a two-year absence from the South African set up.
Bath flanker Francois Louw will be looking to make up for the disappointment of his club’s Amlin Challenge Cup defeat in Cardiff, while there are also places for Ulster halfback Ruan Pienaar, Leinster full back Zane Kirchner, Toulouse prop Gurthrö Steenkamp and Stade Francais fly half Morné Steyn.
Head coach Heyneke Meyer has named seven uncapped players in Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, Cornal Hendricks, Teboho Mohoje, S’bura Sithole, Marcel van der Merwe and Callie Visagi but there is plenty of experience in the ranks given the presence of the likes of World Cup and Lions series winners Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield.
Juan de Jongh, Francois Hougaard, Lwazi Mvovo and Frans Steyn are all included for the first time since 2012 but the Boks are missing some notable names through injury. Leading that absentee list is skipper Jean de Villers, who misses out with a knee problem, while Jaque Fourie has an ankle injury, Eben Etzebeth is still not fully fit after a foot injury, Pat Lambie is out with a bicep tear and vice-captain Adriaan Strauss is suspended for three matches.
“We simply have to hit the ground running this week and make sure we start the season as well as possible,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, who will name the interim captain in the next few days.
“It was wonderful to see the excitement in the more experienced players, who have tasted what Test rugby is about. Everyone knows we’re at the start of a challenging season but everyone is raring to get going.”
Meyer is convinced the return to the fold of so many big names will be a huge boost for the Boks, with the former Leicester boss already having seen their enthusiasm rub off everyone else as the two-Test series with Wales draws ever nearer.
“Their excitement at the Durban camp was palpable, but also contagious. The younger players fed off that and I know they will add a lot of value to the squad,” added Meyer.
“Last year we saw what it meant to Bakkies (Botha), Fourie (du Preez) and Jaque (Fourie) when they returned and they showed that age should not be any measure when it comes to Test rugby – if you have the goods and can perform at world-class level, you deserve to be selected.
“Victor (Matfield) and Schalk (Burger) have both been out of the game for some time and for different reasons. A year ago, Schalk’s playing future was in doubt, so it’s great to have him back in the Bok fold and I’m looking forward to working with him for the first time.
“Schalk (Brits) was part of our plans from the beginning. He is one of the best hookers in the world, was one of the nominees for Heineken Cup Player of the Year and brings heaps of experience with him.”
Toulon openside Juan Smith was also in the selection frame but, as he has been struggling with an injury in recent weeks, he requested the national selectors not to be considered.
South Africa will warm up for the back-to-back clashes with Wales by entertaining a World XV in Cape Town on Saturday. Warren Gatland’s men then provide the opposition for last season’s Rugby Championship runners up in Durban on June 14 and Nelspruit on June 21.
Springbok squad
Willem Alberts (Sharks), Back row – 30 Test caps
Bakkies Botha (Toulon), Lock – 78
Schalk Brits (Saracens), Hooker – 5
Schalk Burger (Western Province), Back row – 68
Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), Back row – 15
Damian De Allende (Western Province), Centre / Wing – 0
Lodewyk de Jager (Cheetahs), Lock – 0
Juan de Jongh (Western Province), Centre – 14
Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), Hooker – 57
Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), Prop – 51
Fourie du Preez (Suntory, Japan), Scrum half – 67
JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls), Centre / Wing – 12
Johan Goosen (Cheetahs), Fly half – 4
Bryan Habana (Toulon), Wing – 95
Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs), Wing – 0
Francois Hougaard (Bulls), Scrum half – 27
Zane Kirchner (Leinster), Full back – 28
Siya Kolisi (Western Province), Back row – 10
Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), Full back / Wing – 12
Francois Louw (Bath), Back row – 28
Victor Matfield (Bulls), Lock – 110
Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (Cheetahs), Back row – 0
Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Prop – 53
Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), Wing – 7
Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), Prop – 14
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster), Scrum half – 74
JP Pietersen (Sharks), Wing – 51
Jan Serfontein (Bulls), Centre – 9
S’bura Sithole (Sharks), Wing / Centre – 0
Gurthrö Steenkamp (Toulouse), Prop – 49
Frans Steyn (Sharks), Utility back – 53
Morné Steyn (Stade Francais), Fly half – 54
Flip van der Merwe (Bulls), Lock – 34
Marcel van der Merwe (Bulls), Prop – 0
Duane Vermeulen (Western Province), No8 – 16
Callie Visagie (Bulls), Hooker – 0
