Rassie springs Porthen surprise for Springboks’ November northern hemisphere campaign

Zachary Porthen is not a household name in his own home, but the talented tighthead prop has been fast-tracked to the Bok squad after an impressive start to the United Rugby Championship (URC) season with the Stormers.

Porthen, a former Junior Springbok captain, has been excellent for a dominant Stormers scrum in the early days of the current URC season.

Erasmus, like most South Africans, loves nothing more than seeing an opposition scrum in hasty retreat. Porthen provides the strength and technique in the front row that has Erasmus and scrum coach Daan Human high-fiving.

It’s also a tip of the cap to the Elite Player Development programme, which Porthen came through, that he has been included in the 36-man squad for the tour.

The Elite Player Development system is the pipeline to feed the Boks, and Porthen is just one of many players pushing through a system that will turn from a trickle currently, into a steady stream of talent in the coming years.

Although Erasmus named 36 players for matches against Japan, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales on consecutive weekends, he also has 10 players on standby. Essentially, this is a 46-man squad.

The Japan and Wales Tests fall outside of the designated World Rugby Test window. But the Bok management has a good relationship with Japanese clubs, and as usual at this time of the year has negotiated to release the 10 Japan-based Boks for the full tour.

Versatile

This is a versatile group that hints at a possible changing of the guard in some areas.

Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk has been omitted altogether after making just one appearance (against Georgia) this season. Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach and Morne van den Berg appear to have locked down the three scrumhalf berths.

Hooker Bongi Mbonambi is relegated to standby as Bulls hooker. Johan Grobbelaar returns for another shot at Test rugby having played the last of his three Tests against Wales in November 2024.

World Cup-winning lock Jean Kleyn returns after an injury-plagued season, meaning Stormers skipper Salmaan Moerat is among the standby group.

Veteran fullback Willie le Roux has been culled as well, leaving Damian Willemse as the only specialist fullback in the touring group. Aphelele Fassi wasn’t considered due to injury.

Wings Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse could cover fullback, Jesse Kriel has played there before and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is another option in the No 15 jersey.

The touring squad includes 21 forwards and 15 backline players, while the standby list features seven forwards — Juarno Augustus (No 8), Neethling Fouche (prop), Mbonambi (hooker), Moerat (lock), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), Evan Roos (No 8), and Vincent Tshituka (utility forward) — and three backs in Lukhanyo Am (centre), Sebastian de Klerk (utility back), and Makazole Mapimpi (wing).

“We are excited about the makeup of this squad,” said Erasmus. “Most of the players in the group have been with us throughout the season, while others are back from injury or have done the job for us before in the last few years.

“It’s also great to see a young player like Zachary, who has emerged through our junior structures, come through the ranks into the senior set-up, and we are excited to see what he can do at this level.

“With five tough matches lined up, we always planned to select a manageable squad, and we have a solid bunch of players on standby, some of whom have been with us during stages this season, and uncapped players such as Sebastian and Juarno, who have continued to impress us with their performances.

“With Neethling and Salmaan currently in the process of returning from injury, it’s important for us that they get more game time for their URC franchises, which was the main reason for excluding them from the 36-man squad.”

Tough schedule

It’s a tough schedule with five Tests in five weekends, which is why Erasmus is likely to mix and match considerably during the tour.

Winning the Tests against France in Paris on 8 November and Ireland in Dublin on 22 November are clearly the major objective of the tour.

The Boks beat France at Stade de France in that epic Rugby World Cup quarterfinal in 2023, and they want to show that they can do it again.

The Boks have not beaten Ireland in Dublin since 2012. Since then the four-time world champions have lost three times at the Aviva Stadium. 

It’s one statistic Erasmus and the Boks want to change.

“It’s a longer tour than usual and we are facing top-class opposition, but we are looking forward to it,” said Erasmus. “Ireland and France are currently ranked third and fourth in the world, while Italy, Wales and Japan are in 10th, 12th and 13th place, and we’ve seen in the past few years that you cannot write off any team.

“Ireland and France are always tough opposition, and they both won four out of their five Six Nations matches, with France emerging as the eventual champions, and we know how challenging it is to beat them both at home. 

“Japan have beaten us before, Italy put up a good fight against us earlier this year in Pretoria, and Wales beat Japan, proving that they are again on an upward trajectory, so it’s going to be a challenging tour.

“We have delivered a few good performances, but also a few disappointing ones this season, so this will be a good opportunity to test ourselves and see if we can build consistency from week to week. That said, it is going to take a massive effort, and we are excited about the tour.” DM 

Springbok squad for Outgoing Tour

Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nché (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen ( Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handré Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Sharks).

Players on standby

Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Ulster), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Evan Roos (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Sharks).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Sebastian De Klerk (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks).

Fixtures

Saturday, 1 November — Japan, Wembley Stadium, London

Saturday, 8 November — France, Stade de France, Paris

Saturday, 15 November — Italy, Allianz Stadium, Turin

Saturday, 22 November — Ireland, Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Saturday, 29 November — Wales, Principality Stadium, Cardiff