Big boost: Two new players available to Springboks
One area where the Springboks have always been blessed with plenty of selection options is at loose forward, where there is generally a consistent conveyor belt of talent.
Heading towards the 2025 season, though, there have been some concerning long-term injuries to Elrigh Louw and Jasper Wiese, as well as the likes of Deon Fourie as well as Francke Horn.
There are no shortage of options still available, though, and in fact there has been a timely boost with the news that talented brothers Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka are now also eligible for selection.
The two DRC-born loose forwards have been waiting for quite some time to finally receive their South African ID books to become available for the Springboks, and according to Rapport , this has now been successfully completed.
Older brother Vincent is probably a bit higher up on the Springbok pecking order as the 26-year-old has both experience and leadership qualities on his side, and could add some valuable depth at blindside flank.
Meanwhile, 24-year-old Emmanuel seems to be a real talent for the future, and the Springboks may well fast-track him into their future planning and 'road maps'.
TBC: vs Barbarians, TBC, TBC5 July: vs Italy, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria12 July: vs Italy, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha19 July: vs Georgia, Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit16 August: vs Australia, Ellis Park, Johannesburg23 August: vs Australia, DHL Stadium, Cape Town6 September: vs New Zealand, Auckland13 September: vs New Zealand, Wellington27 September: vs Argentina, Kings Park, Durban4 October: vs Argentina, London1 November: vs Wales, Cardiff8 November: vs France, Paris15 November: vs Italy, Turin22 November: vs Ireland, Dublin
*SA Rugby are working on adding two more Tests for the Springboks, likely to be against Japan and Portugal
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Gerda Steyn favoured to win the Comrades Marathon, but the men's race remains unpredictable
Gerda Steyn GERDA Steyn is favoured to winn the Women's race in the 2025 Comrades Marathon. | Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Newspapers Equally motivated will be his club mate yet adversary in the form of Piet Wiersma. The Dutchman has to be considered a possible winner given how close he ran Dijana in 2023. The South African in me of course wants one of our own to keep the title home. And there are a few athletes who can do just that, the standout being defending Down Run champion Morena Tete Dijana. But that has never stopped us from trying to play Nostradamus, has it? And I am not going to start now and shirk out of having a go. The men's race on the other hand is not so clear-cut. As it is, predicting a winner is tantamount to attempting to tell dark blue from black in the dark – impossible. Sure, there are some competitive runners who are likely to run her close. But you are not going to find punters putting high odds against her not winning. DURBAN - GERDA Steyn's status as a firm favourite to win the women's race in Sunday's Comrades Marathon is a given. Wiersma showed with that compelling run for a second spot that it is possible for a foreign rookie to win the race. There is one such rookie brought here by Maxed Elite in the form of Frenchman Guillaume Ruel who could pull the rug from underneath the aforementioned duo of Nedbank, a club he previously ran for. The 27-year-old who stands at a strapping 1.87m was in South Africa three years ago for the Nedbank Runified 50km where he ran the European record at 2:47:23. He said on Thursday during the press conference that he's here on a reconnaissance trip and will be returning to be competitive the following year, explaining that he's not fully fit having had an Achilles operation earlier in the year. That could well be. But athletes are known to play down their chances and with his kind of speed – he boasts a 2:14:48 standard marathon PB - and the fact he holds the French 100km record at 6:13:41 9:51 suggests he is going to be pretty competitive. The Comrades Marathon is renowned for being unkind to highly-rated foreigners though and few have had their noses bloodied by the world's most famous ultra. In recent years the locals have dominated the race, with the Nedbank Running Club having won it in the last four years. Dijana's teammate and captain Edward Mothibi was a winner in 2019 and his second and third place finishes in the previous two Down Runs suggests he should not be overlooked. Like Dijana, he had a poor run last year finishing 16th and while he says he is simply going for a top 10, the reality is that the man they call Slender has it in him to push for glory. Their former teammate Joseph Manyedi who won the veteran's category with his fourth-place finish has found a new lease on life at Maxed Elite. He has all intentions to get a podium finish for his new employers who will have the battle-hardened Teboho Sello once again pushing for glory. He has all intentions to get a podium finish for his new employers who will have the battle-hardened Teboho Sello once again pushing for glory. The Comrades stalwart that is Bongmusa Mthembu remains a force of the race even though it appears that his glory days are long gone, but cannot be completely written off. And then there's three-time gold medalist Gordon Lesetedi who is coached by the champion-producing John Hamlett who has said he is going for victory On the face of it, this could easily be a two-horse race between Dijana and Wiersma. But such is the unpredictability of the Comrades Marathon that the winner could well come from left field. We are in for an intriguing race this weekend.
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs target prolific lower league striker amid transfer race
Kaizer Chiefs have stepped up their pursuit of one of the lower divisions' most exciting forwards, as they look to sharpen their attacking arsenal ahead of the new Betway Premiership season. A source has confirmed that Amakhosi are closely monitoring Thapelo Matlhoko, the prolific striker from Kruger United. Who has become a hot property following a string of standout performances, as per Soccer Laduma . Chiefs aren't alone in the chase, but they appear to be in the driving seat. 'Now Kaizer Chiefs are also interested in him. But let's see where he will go,' a source close to the situation said. Matlhoko first caught the eye of scouts during the ABC Motsepe League playoffs, where his finishing instincts and physical presence turned heads. Kaizer Chiefs have reportedly kept tabs on him ever since. According to the source, Marumo Gallants, Golden Arrows, and two other unnamed Betway Premiership teams have also shown interest. However, it's Chiefs who seem most determined to secure his signature. 'As much as Chiefs have enquired about him, so has Golden Arrows and two other Betway Premiership sides. But the scouts at Marumo Gallants know him better and that gives them a better chance of signing him,' the source revealed. Matlhoko's current club, Kruger United, managed to retain him last season despite previous attempts from clubs like Gallants to lure him away. This time, though, the level of interest has escalated, and Kaizer Chiefs are well-positioned to convince the player to take the next step in his career. 'It's not the first time they have shown interest in him. During the ABC Motsepe playoffs last season they wanted him but Kruger United kept him at least for another season,' said a source. With Chiefs rebuilding under pressure and seeking fresh attacking options, Matlhoko could emerge as a low-risk, high-reward addition. Will Matlhoko be able to handle the pressure at Kaizer Chiefs? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
an hour ago
- The South African
Kobamelo Kodisang reconsiders Sundowns future
Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Kobamelo Kodisang is reportedly reconsidering his future at the Tshwane-based club. Kodisang arrived as one of the high-profile signings following his decision to return home from Europe. However, the 25-year-old has not really lived up to the expectations as he often finds himself out in the stands. Competition for a place in the Sundowns starting line-up has been very stiff for him despite being highly rated. He was only limited to just 13 appearances across all competitions this past season, scoring twice and assists in a further two. According to UnplayableZA , Kodisang is seriously pondering his future with a possible exit not entirely ruled out. Kabomelo Kodisang signs for Mamelodi Sundowns. Image: @masandawana/X Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
