Siya Kolisi will continue to lead the Springboks, at least in the first couple of Rugby Championship Tests against the Wallabies in Australia next month.
Head coach Rassie Erasmus announced a 33-man squad yesterday for the tour Down Under with a welcome return for Bulls lock Ruan Nortje, who replaces the injured Franco Mostert. Two double World Cup winners, hooker Malcolm Marx and loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, are also back despite having picked up injuries recently against Ireland in a hard-fought two-Test series.
But their inclusion will be welcomed, especially with two tough matches expected in Brisbane on August 10 and Perth a week later. Erasmus selected 22 World Cup winners, while five of this years debutants also made the cut for the trip.
Players not considered due to injury include Mostert, Jean Kleyn and Lood de Jager locks, Steven Kitshoff prop, scrumhalves Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse and Herschel Jantjies, centre Canan Moodie, winger Edwill van der Merwe and utility back Damian Willemse.
No 8 Jaspier Wiese is still suspended while centre Andre Esterhuizen had his disciplinary hearing yesterday after he picked up a red card against Portugal.
