Edwill van der Merwe is ready to spark for the world champion Springboks as considered one of 4 uncapped gamers within the matchday 23 to face Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.
Winger Van der Merwe and flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse, each from the Lions, will begin the Boks’ first outing since successful the World Cup in October.
Utility again Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and free ahead Ben-Jason Dixon, teammates on the DHL Stormers in Cape City, begin on the bench.
AFP Sport profiles the newcomers as South Africa put together to launch a 13-Take a look at season, which begins and ends with internationals towards Wales.
Edwill van der Merwe
Accidents to first alternative wingers Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie opened the door for Van der Merwe.
The inclusion of the 28-year-old got here after he was ignored for 2 transient alignment camps forward of the Twickenham Take a look at.
Possessing pace and a bodily presence, Van der Merwe final March turned the primary South African to attain 20 tries within the Vodacom URC.
Born in Western Cape rugby cradle Stellenbosch, he made his skilled debut for Western Province, graduated to sister facet the Stormers, and joined the Lions three years in the past.
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Jordan Hendrikse
Rugby is entrenched within the Hendrikse household with 22-year-old Jordan following older brother Jaden into the Springbok fold.
Scrumhalf Jaden was a part of the 2023 World Cup-winning squad, however couldn’t be thought-about for the Wales Take a look at attributable to damage.
Jordan, a teenage debutant for the Lions three years in the past, is reportedly leaving the Johannesburg outfit to affix Jaden on the Sharks in Durban.
Whereas preferring to carry out at fly-half, he additionally lined up as a centre for the Lions, and beforehand turned out for the Blitzboks, the nationwide sevens group.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Former Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber, who switched to Leinster after the 2023 World Cup triumph, has described 22-year-old Feinberg-Mngomezulu as “an excellent rugby participant”.
“He’s athletic, quick, agile and skilful. Luckily for South Africa he opted to play rugby as he was equally good at soccer,” added the coach.
Present South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus favours versatility and Sacha matches the invoice completely as he can play at full-back, centre and fly-half.
Additionally eligible to play for England by way of his father, South African rugby followers have been thrilled when he selected the inexperienced and gold.
Ben-Jason Dixon
The 26-year-old has been in contrast with two-time World Cup winner Pieter-Steph du Toit, who will captain South Africa towards Wales as common skipper Siya Kolisi is unavailable.
He earned his fiftieth cap for the Stormers within the URC this season and has constantly impressed together with his never-say-die perspective and workrate.
“Ben-Jason is a tough employee and possesses the qualities to develop into a world-class free ahead,” says Stormers assistant coach Rito Hlungwani.
“Other than his work-rate and nice perspective, he has an excellent tackling method. If you wish to know easy methods to execute the right deal with, watch Ben-Jason.”
Photograph: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Photos
