Meet your Rugby World Cup 2019 Springbok squad

The Springboks will he hoping to make it a lucky number three when they compete in the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, starting September 20.

Here is the team representing South Africa:

Bongi Mbonambi 

Date of Birth: 7 January 1991

Place of Birth: Bethlehem

Mbongeni “Bongi” Mbonambi is a powerfully built hooker who is well-known for his hard-working nature around the field.

He overcame a life-threatening illness in 2018 to establish himself as a regular in the Bok squad.

AGE

28

CAPS

29

POINTS

20

HEIGHT

1.76m

WEIGHT

106kg

Cheslin Kolbe

Date of Birth: 28 October 1993

Place of Birth: Cape Town

The former Blitzbok speedster’s outstanding form for French club side Toulouse was rewarded with a deserved Springbok call-up in 2018, and Kolbe didn’t disappoint in his debut Test season, playing a crucial role in the Springboks’ epic win over the All Blacks in Wellington.

AGE

25

CAPS

9

POINTS

15

HEIGHT

1.7m

WEIGHT

80kg

Cobus Reinach 

Date of Birth: 7 February 1990

Place of Birth: Bloemfontein

The former Cell C Sharks scrumhalf has been in superb form for his club, Northampton Saints, in the English Premiership, where he is a firm fan favourite because of his try-scoring exploits.  He is the son of the late former Springbok winger and South African track and field star Jaco Reinach.

AGE

29

CAPS

12

POINTS

15

HEIGHT

1.75m

WEIGHT

85kg

Damian de Allende

Date of Birth: 25 November 1991

Place of Birth: Cape Town

Big Damian de Allende was named South African Vodacom Super Rugby Player of the Year for 2015, and he has been playing at the top level ever since, after a rapid rise through the ranks earlier in his career.

He is a versatile back, has great hands and a knack for busting tackles.

AGE

27

CAPS

39

POINTS

20

HEIGHT

1.89m

WEIGHT

101kg

Duane Vermeulen

Date of Birth: 3 July 1986

Place of Birth: Nelspruit

The abrasive No 8 is one of the world’s best in his position and his strong ball carrying abilities and bone crushing tackling make him an ideal loose forward. Vermeulen battled with some injuries in 2017 but has bounced back to his usual reliable best in 2018 as he played another influential role for the Boks.

AGE

33

CAPS

48

POINTS

15

HEIGHT

1.93m

WEIGHT

117kg

Eben Etzebeth

Date of Birth: 29 October 1991

Place of Birth: Cape Town

Several injury setbacks over the past two years have prevented the big lock forward from adding more Test caps to his already impressive Springbok appearance tally.

Etzebeth leads by example with his powerful displays on the field and will be one of several Springbok leaders in 2019.

AGE

27

CAPS

78

POINTS

15

HEIGHT

2.03m

WEIGHT

117kg

Elton Jantjies

Date of Birth: 1 August 1990

Place of Birth: Graaff-Reinet

Jantjies first toured with the Boks at the end of 2010, when he was also named SA U20 and Young Player of the Year. He made his Test debut in 2012 against Australia in Pretoria and established himself in the squad since 2016, when he played in nine tests. In June 2017, he scored 52 points against France in three Tests.

AGE

29

CAPS

35

POINTS

253

HEIGHT

1.76m

WEIGHT

88kg

Faf de Klerk

Date of Birth:19 October 1991

Place of Birth: Nelspruit

De Klerk, who made his Vodacom Super Rugby debut for the Emirates Lions when he was on loan from the Mpumalanga Pumas, impressed when he got his opportunities with snappy service, wicked breaks in broken play, a solid kicking boot and a massive work rate.

AGE

27

CAPS

24

POINTS

15

HEIGHT

1.72m

WEIGHT

80kg

Francois Louw

Date of Birth: 15 June 1985

Place of Birth: Cape Town

The Bath-based player, who made his Test debut in 2010, has a wealth of experience because of many campaigns in the English and European top flights, as well as serving the Springboks for several season as loose forward in the international arena.

AGE

34

CAPS

68

POINTS

45

HEIGHT

1.9m

WEIGHT

112kg

Franco Mostert

Date of Birth: 27 November 1990

Place of Birth: Bloemfontein

Mostert, who is nicknamed "Sous" by his teammates, has made a telling impact at lock for the Emirates Lions over the past few seasons. He is known for his massive work-rate and strength in the lineout and is a very popular member of the Springbok squad. He relocated to England at the end of 2018, where he signed with Gloucester.

AGE

28

CAPS

31

POINTS

5

HEIGHT

1.98m

WEIGHT

112kg

Frans Malherbe

Date of Birth: 14 March 1991

Place of Birth: Bredasdorp

An unfortunate spite of injuries saw the DHL Stormers front rower making a handful of Test appearances the previous three years after he was a regular for the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England. Malherbe is very strong in the scrums and not shy to put in the hard yards around the park.

AGE

28

CAPS

31

POINTS

0

HEIGHT

1.91m

WEIGHT

125kg

Frans Steyn

Date of Birth: 14 May 1987

Place of Birth: Aliwal North

Frans Steyn was the youngest member of the the Springboks' RWC squad in 2007, when they brought home the coveted Webb Ellis Cup. Vastly experienced, he is back in the Bok squad after missing out due to injury in recent year. Steyn is one of the most versatile players in world rugby - he can play at flyhalf, centre and fullback, and made his Test debut for the Boks on the wing in 2006.

AGE

32

CAPS

60

POINTS

132

HEIGHT

1.91m

WEIGHT

110kg

Handré Pollard

Date of Birth: 11 March 1994

Place of Birth: Somerset West

Pollard captained the Junior Springboks in 2014 when he was also named World Rugby Junior Player of the Year. He represented the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but missed most of the following two seasons due to serious knee and ankle injuries. The top 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby point scorer has established himself as a leader in the Bok team.

AGE

25

CAPS

41

POINTS

381

HEIGHT

1.89m

WEIGHT

98kg

Herschel Jantjies

Date of Birth: 22 April 1996

Place of Birth: Stellenbosch

Jantjies followed up his impressive breakthrough in the 2018 Currie Cup with even more consistently assured performances in the colours of the DHL Stormers in 2019.

He has sniping speed around the scrums and edges of broken play, and gives a crisp service from the base.

AGE

23

CAPS

3

POINTS

15

HEIGHT

1.67m

WEIGHT

78kg

Jesse Kriel

Date of Birth: 15 February 1994

Place of Birth: Cape Town

Kriel made his Test debut in 2015 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting backs in the local game.

He plays for the Vodacom Bulls and like his twin brother, Dan, also represented the Junior Boks.

AGE

25

CAPS

44

POINTS

60

HEIGHT

1.86m

WEIGHT

96kg

Kwagga Smith

Date of Birth: 11 June 1993

Place of Birth: Lydenburg

After starring for the Springbok Sevens for a number of years on the international scene, the industrious flanker decided to concentrate on fifteens with the Emirates Lions, for whom he has made many outstanding outings in Vodacom Super Rugby.

Smith made his Bok debut in 2018 against Wales in Washington.

AGE

26

CAPS

4

POINTS

0

HEIGHT

1.8m

WEIGHT

80kg

Lood de Jager

Date of Birth: 17 December 1992

Place of Birth: Alberton

De Jager makes a welcome return to the Springbok fold in November 2018 after missing the entire Test season through injury. The SA Rugby Player of the Year in 2015 brings considerable experience to a position where the Springboks have already an impressive stock of playing personnel.

AGE

26

CAPS

40

POINTS

25

HEIGHT

2.05m

WEIGHT

122kg

Lukhanyo Am

Date of Birth: 28 November 1993

Place of Birth: King William's Town

Lukhanyo Am has been in good form the past few seasons and yet again shone for the Cell C Sharks in Vodacom Super Rugby.

He is a skilful midfielder with good hands and deceptively quick, which has seen him set up many tries for the men on his outside.

AGE

25

CAPS

8

POINTS

5

HEIGHT

1.86m

WEIGHT

93kg

Makazole Mapimpi

Date of Birth: 26 July 1990

Place of Birth: Mdantsane

The speedy Cell C Sharks wing is a clinical finisher out wide and announced himself on the scene with some impressive performances for the Isuzu Southern Kings a few seasons ago, before a brief stint in Bloemfontein. In 2019, he has continued to impress with his speed and nose for the try-line.

AGE

29

CAPS

7

POINTS

25

HEIGHT

1.84m

WEIGHT

90kg

Malcolm Marx

Date of Birth: 13 July 1994

Place of Birth: Germiston

Marx, the SA Rugby Player of the Year for 2017, is back to his best after missing a part of the 2018 Vodacom Super Rugby competition with a serious hamstring injury. At his relative young age, he is already considered by most pundits as one of the best hookers in the world.

AGE

25

CAPS

26

POINTS

20

HEIGHT

1.89m

WEIGHT

117kg

Pieter-Steph du Toit

Date of Birth: 20 August 1992

Place of Birth: Cape Town

Pieter-Steph, who was named the SA Rugby Player of the Year for 2016 and 2018, is an uncompromising forward who is equally comfortable playing on the side of the scrum and at lock. He captained the Springboks in the once-off Test against Wales in Washington at the start of the 2018 season.

AGE

27

CAPS

49

POINTS

20

HEIGHT

2m

WEIGHT

119kg

RG Snyman

Date of Birth: 29 January 1995

Place of Birth: Potchefstroom

Towering RG Snyman is regarded as the natural successor to former Vodacom Bulls and Springbok lock kingpin Victor Matfield. He forms a formidable partnership with fellow locks Lood de Jager and Jason Jenkins, and has impressed with his handling skills and agility.

AGE

24

CAPS

15

POINTS

0

HEIGHT

2.06m

WEIGHT

117kg

Sbu Nkosi

Date of Birth: 21 January 1996

Place of Birth: Barberton

The razor sharp wing from Durban was unlucky not to have made his Springbok debut in 2017, when injury postponed his entry into the Test arena. However, consistent performances for the Cell C Sharks has once more caught the attention of the national selectors and he established himself in the squad in 2018. 

AGE

23

CAPS

8

POINTS

35

HEIGHT

1.83m

WEIGHT

96kg

Schalk Brits

Date of Birth: 16 May 1981

Place of Birth: Empangeni

Brits, a mainstay for English club Saracens the last decade, is regarded as one of the best ever foreign imports in the English Premiership. He has been recalled to the Springbok squad by Rassie Erasmus, who wants to use his considerable experience in player-mentor capacity. Upon his return to South Africa in 2019, the ever-smiling Brits played for the Vodacom Bulls.

AGE

38

CAPS

13

POINTS

5

HEIGHT

1.82m

WEIGHT

100kg

Siya Kolisi, Captain

Date of Birth: 16 June 1991

Place of Birth: Port Elizabeth

Siya Kolisi, who made his Test debut against Scotland in Nelspruit in 2013, captained the DHL Stormers from 2017. He was appointed Springbok captain last year and the Bok skipper is a huge fan favourite. Kolisi is a tough-as-nails loose forward who is comfortable on either side of the scrum.

AGE

28

CAPS

42

POINTS

25

HEIGHT

1.87m

WEIGHT

106kg

Steven Kitshoff

Date of Birth: 10 February 1992

Place of Birth: Somerset West

Kitshoff has tasted World Rugby U20 Championship success with the Junior Springboks in 2012 and won three South African Vodacom Super Rugby Conference titles with DHL Stormers, all before his 24th birthday. He also played for Bordeaux-Bègles in the French Top 14 before returning to South Africa in 2017 and is now an established member of the Bok front row.

AGE

27

CAPS

39

POINTS

5

HEIGHT

1.84m

WEIGHT

125kg

Tendai Mtawarira

Date of Birth: 1 August 1985

Place of Birth: Harare, Zimbabwe

Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is the most-capped member of the current squad. He has been a cornerstone of the Bok pack since 2008 and was massive in the 2009 series victory over the British & Irish Lions. In 2016, he overtook Os du Randt as the most-capped Springbok prop.

AGE

34

CAPS

110

POINTS

10

HEIGHT

1.83m

WEIGHT

117kg

Trevor Nyakane

Date of Birth: 4 May 1989

Place of Birth: Bushbuckridge

A strong scrummager on either side of the scrum and very busy in the tight loose, Nyakane excelled for the Toyota Cheetahs and the Vodacom Bulls in the last couple of seasons. He made his Test debut in 2013 and apart from his great play in the set piece, he also has very good ball skills. 

AGE

30

CAPS

40

POINTS

5

HEIGHT

1.78m

WEIGHT

117kg

Vincent Koch

Date of Birth: 13 March 1990

Place of Birth: Empangeni

The former DHL Stormers prop nowadays packs in the front row of English club Saracens. 

Koch is a powerful scrummager and has great ability around the park – two of the hallmarks of his game.

AGE

29

CAPS

15

POINTS

0

HEIGHT

1.85m

WEIGHT

118kg

Warrick Gelant

Date of Birth: 20 May 1995

Place of Birth: Knysna

Gelant’s natural attacking abilities has earned him SA Schools, Junior Springboks, Blitzboks, SA ‘A’ and Springbok colours.

He has been one of the standout players for the Vodacom Bulls since regaining his full fitness last season and has continued with his solid showings in the No 15 jersey.

AGE

24

CAPS

7

POINTS

5

HEIGHT

1.8m

WEIGHT

89kg

Willie le Roux

Date of Birth: 18 August 1989

Place of Birth: Stellenbosch

Le Roux has established himself as a fan favourite at Wasps in England thanks to his attacking play, good kicking skills and regular try scoring feats. After making seven Springbok appearances in 2016, he did not feature in 2017, but he was back with the Boks in 2018 and delivered many outstanding performances in the No 15 jersey.

AGE

30

CAPS

55

POINTS

60

HEIGHT

1.86m

WEIGHT

90kg