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Cape Town - Nine uncapped players have been included in the Springbok squad of 32 for the Castle Incoming Tour against England, named on Saturday in Pretoria by SARU CEO Jurie Roux and Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
The nine uncapped players are Marcell Coetzee, JJ Engelbrecht, Eben Etzebeth, Elton Jantjies, Juandré Kruger, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jacques Potgieter, Franco van der Merwe and Jano Vermaak.
Jantjies and Oosthuizen have toured with the Springboks before, at the end of the season in 2010, while Van der Merwe and Vermaak have previously played for the Emerging Springboks.
Meyer and the national selectors, Peter Jooste and Ian McIntosh, were unanimous when it came to finalising the squad. They have also recalled 15 members of the Rugby World Cup 2011 squad, while there are nine Rugby World Cup winners from 2007 left in the squad.
The most experienced player in the squad is South Africa’s foremost test try scorer Bryan Habana, with 74 caps. Six more players have played in excess of 40 tests for South Africa.
“We were always looking to start the season with an experienced squad to face England, but injuries to certain players and the non-availability of others have made it difficult,” said Meyer.
The Springbok squad is:
Backs
Zane Kirchner (Northern Bulls), JP Pietersen (Coastal Sharks), JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls), Jean de Villiers (Western Stormers), Wynand Olivier (Bulls), Francois Steyn (Racing Metro/FRA), Bryan Habana (Stormers), Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), Bjorn Basson (Bulls), Morne Steyn (Bulls), Patrick Lambie (Sharks), Elton Jantjies (Golden Lions), Francois Hougaard (Bulls), Jano Vermaak (Bulls), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster/IRL)
Forwards
Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Coenie Oosthuizen (Central Cheetahs), Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), Chiliboy Ralepelle (Bulls), Adriaan Strauss (Cheetahs), Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), Werner Kruger (Bulls), Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), Flip van der Merwe (Bulls), Franco van der Merwe (Lions), Juandre Kruger (Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), Willem Alberts (Sharks), Pierre Spies (Bulls), Ryan Kankowski (Sharks), Keegan Daniel (Sharks), Jacques Potgieter (Bulls)
http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Sprin...named-20120602