Under Rassie Erasmus, a new era for the Springboks is about to begin. It is possible for these SEVEN players to rejoin the national team in 2024.

SA Rugby occupies a very unique space. Following their recent unbeaten Rugby World Cup campaign, the Springboks successfully maintained the British and Irish Lions series in 2021. Many extremely talented players were not able to compete in the most recent RWC in France due to SA’s excellent depth.

However, a significant portion of the players who were left off the roster will be in the starting lineup the next year. A few players are also totally healed from their injuries, and they will definitely return to the battle. A Bok who was previously capped is finally knocking on the selection door and he intends to demolish it.

Not only that, but Duane Vermeulen has officially quit from international rugby. Stated differently, this means there will be space for one more loose forward. Evan Roos has a good chance of closing this difference. But Elrigh Louw will be a tough opponent—he’s currently playing very well.

With three hookers, Rassie is expected to return the team to its traditional configuration. You could expect to see some playing time for both Dweba and van der Merwe given his recent outstanding performance in the United Rugby Championship. Given that Dweba has a lengthy history of playing for his country, it was surprising to see him unexpectedly left off of the most recent RWC squad.

The emphasis is now on developing a new prop for the Rugby World Cup of 2027, as players Vincent Koch (33) and Trevor Nyakane (34) go closer to the end of their careers. Thomas du Toit, who is currently 28 years old and will be 32 during the next World Cup, is expected to play. In addition, Gerhard Steenekamp might get better in the next season after his 27-minute Bok debut.

Finally, there has been a suggestion of a potential return from Elton Jantjies. The captain of the Bok, Siya Kolisi, has accepted this. Handre Pollard was even invited to practice with SA after he sustained injuries, thanks to Rassie and Jacques Nienaber. Thus, he is qualified to make a comeback in 2024.