With the Springboks expected to be without three important players for the majority of the season, we look at who will replace them.
The Springboks will meet the Barbarians in their first encounter on South African soil in Cape Town on Saturday 28 June. This will then be followed by back-to-back Tests against Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha on 5 and 12 July, and Georgia in Nelspruit a week later on 19 July.
However, bigger challenges undoubtedly lie in wait when the Rugby Championship gets under way, while the team will end the year with some massive battles on their traditional November tour.
Even before the season kicks off, it has been confirmed that talented loose forward Elrigh Louw will not be available for the entire year as he recovers from a serious leg injury.
Louw had the ability to cover No 8 and blindside flank, and his absence will be missed, but it could lead to new opportunities for the likes of Vincent Tshituka, Evan Roos, Juarno Augustus and perhaps also Cobus Wiese. Of course, first-choice options such as Jasper Wiese and Pieter-Steph du Toit will feature prominently during the Rugby Championship.
In what is a quite a worrying update, it’s also been revealed by Rassie Erasmus that tighthead powerhouse Frans Malherbe could also miss the 2025 season due to a troublesome back injury.
Although there is the experience of Vincent Koch to rely on, the Springboks will need to expose others to Test action, and in that regard they are at least well covered by Thomas du Toit and Wilco Louw, while newcomers Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Neethling Fouche could be called upon.
The versatility of Du Toit to scrum down at loosehead or tighthead will be of particular importance when considering that veteran Trevor Nyakane is only likely to be back towards the end of 2025, and by then it’s unlikely that the Springboks would call on the 36-year-old.
Full Springbok squad ahead of the 2025 season:
Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Vincent Tshituka (all Sharks), Neethling Fouche, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos (all Stormers), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Wilco Louw, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese, Ruan Nortje (all Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Backs: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk, Jesse Kriel (both Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams, Ethan Hooker (all Sharks), Manie Libbok, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse (all Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Kurt-Lee Arendse, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie (all Bulls), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg, Edwilll van der Merwe (both Lions).
