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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.
“What we‘ve lost in experience, we’ve made up in passion and desire to play for the Springboks.
“We have put together a squad with a nice balance between a number of veterans and players with less experience as we start to build for the rest of the season.
“Working with these players during our four Planning Camps this season has been great and really made a very difficult selection process a bit easier. There were a few unlucky players that didn’t make it and they will get opportunities in future as long as they keep on knocking on the door.
“The nine uncapped players have all put up their hands during Vodacom Super Rugby this year and we know they have what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
“We realise that it is impossible to please everyone when it comes to selecting squads like these, but we would really like to see the entire country stand behind us as we take on England.”
Furthermore, six promising players have been added to the Springbok squad for the next three weeks. They are not eligible for selection but will train with the squad in Durban, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.
The six upcoming players that will join the Bok squad are Siya Kolisi (flank), Arno Botha (No 8), Frans Malherbe (prop), CJ Stander (loose forward), Francois Venter (centre) and Piet van Zyl (scrumhalf).
Meyer said: “We feel that these players have what it takes to play for the Springboks and they were close to selection in the final squad. However, these three weeks provide the ideal opportunity to work with them, show them what the Springbok culture is all about and hopefully put them on the right track to play for South Africa sooner rather than later. By doing this now, we will reap the dividends going forward.
“We also rate a number of great players in the South African Under-20 squad, but they were not considered at this stage due to the fact that they are playing in a very important Junior World Championship.”
The Springbok squad is:
Backs
Zane Kirchner (Bulls), JP Pietersen (Sharks), JJ Engelbrecht (Bulls), Jean de Villiers (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 (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)
