The Springbok squad will assemble in the Mother City in the first week of March to get the wheels in motion for the 2024 Test rugby season, with a 43-player group selected for the two-day alignment camp on 5 and 6 March.
The group will consist of 39 domestic (locally-based) players and four Japan-based players, who are currently injured and doing their rehabilitation in South Africa. As many as 19 players formed part of the 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning team.
Only 27 players are capped Springboks, and as many as 16 of them are uncapped, but the fact of the matter is that many will fall by the wayside once the national coaches cut the squad back for the actual Test squads.
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In July, the Springboks will play two Tests against in-form Ireland and then feature in a one-off match against Portugal before an intense Rugby Championship campaign begins.
Realistically, it’s the game against Portugal when some ‘newcomers’ – who impress at the alignment camp and on the domestic scene – might receive their first Springbok cap.
Looking at the list below, impressive Lions midfielder Henco van Wyk looks to have all the attributes of a high-quality outside centre who the Springboks should look to expose in some of their ‘smaller’ games this year.
Bulls loose forward Cameron Hanekom also looks to be a Springbok in waiting, while the same could be said for generational talent Suleiman Hartzenberg from the Stormers.
Powerhouse Stormers prop Neethling Fouche should also be set for a Test debut considering that the Springbok do need to start building some further depth at prop.
It would also not be a surprise at all to see Stormers utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu crack the nod for the Test against Portugal.
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SPRINGBOK NEWCOMERS IN THE ALIGNMENT CAMP
UNCAPPED PLAYERS INVITED:
| Name | Age | Position | Team |
| Ruan Venter | 22 | Flank | Lions |
| Jan-Hendrik Wessels | 22 | Hooker | Bulls |
| Mpilo Gumede | 23 | Flank | Bulls |
| Henco van Wyk | 22 | Centre | Lions |
| Sanele Nohamba | 25 | Scrumhalf/flyhalf | Lions |
| Jordan Hendrikse | 22 | Flyhalf | Lions |
| Morne van den Berg | 26 | Scrumhalf | Lions |
| Cameron Hanekom | 21 | Loose forward | Bulls |
| Quan Hỏn | 22 | Fullback | Lions |
| Johan Grabbelaar | 26 | Hooker | Bulls |
| Suleiman Hartzenberg | 20 | Centre | Stormers |
| Neethling Fouche | 31 | Prop | Stormers |
| Andre-Hugo Venter | 22 | Hooker | Stormers |
| Marnus van der Merwe | 27 | Hooker | Cheetahs |
| Ruben van Heerden | 26 | Lock | Stormers |
| Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu | 21 | Flyhalf/centre | Stormers |
The full 43-player alignment camp squad
Forwards: Eben Etzebeth, Neethling Fouche*, Johan Grobbelaar*, Celimpilo Gumede*, Cameron Hanekom*, Andre-Hugo Venter*, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marnus van der Merwe*, Ruben van Heerden*, Marco van Staden, Ruan Venter*, Jan-Hendrik Wessels*
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Faf de Klerk, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu*, Suleiman Hartzenberg*, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse*, Quan Horn*, Herschel Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Sanele Nohamba*, Morne van den Berg*, Henco van Wyk*, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse
* Denotes uncapped players