BREAKING : Erasmus selects four uncapped players for the Barbarians match.

Rassie Erasmus has selected a 54-man Springbok squad to begin the 2025 international season, which kicks off with a match against the Barbarians on 28 June in Cape Town
. Among these, he has included nine uncapped players, four of whom are forwards — confirming what you mentioned — and five backs:

Uncapped Forwards (4):
Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets)

Neethling Fouche (Stormers)

Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions)

Cobus Wiese (Bulls)

Uncapped Backs (5):
Renzo du Plessis (Lions)

Vincent Tshituka (Sharks)

Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints)

Ethan Hooker (Sharks)

Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT)

Erasmus emphasized the dual goals of workload management and building depth ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, calling the expanded squad “an exciting bunch of players” who’ll benefit from learning alongside seasoned internationals

The schedule following the Barbarians match includes:

Italy (Pretoria & Gqeberha): 5 & 12 July

Georgia (Mbombela): 19 July

Key Takeaways:
Four forwards and five backs are uncapped, providing fresh talent.

Erasmus is balancing internal competition and preparing for future tournaments.

The squad reconnects on 15 June for intense camp prep ahead of the Barbarians clash.