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Cape Town - Stormers trio Steven Kitshoff (prop), Vincent Koch (prop) and Scarra Ntubeni (hooker) have expressed delight after their inclusions in the Springbok squad.
The Stormers were the best scrummaging outfit in this year’s Super Rugby competition and the uncapped trio were rewarded for their efforts when Bok coach Heyneke Meyer named his first squad of the season at the weekend.
They are part of a squad of 49 players named for the fixtures against a World XV on July 11, the Rugby Championship and the one-off Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires in August.
Koch, who was loaned from the Pumas for Super Rugby, told Netwerk24 he was surprised by his inclusion.
“I was with my girlfriend at a restaurant in Langebaan when one of her friends sent an SMS saying they are in front of the TV holding thumbs for me. Luckily there was a TV at the restaurant so we could watch. It’s a great feeling!”
Western Province informed Kitshoff and Ntubeni last Thursday that they would in all likelihood make the squad.
“I was at a dinner in Paarl. My dad sent me a WhatsApp and my girlfriend called,” said Kitshoff. “The fact that some of my friends are in the group, makes it so much easier. I’m really looking forward to the camp (in Johannesburg this week).”
Ntubeni, who has toured with the Springboks in the past but yet to make his Test debut, said he was “very excited”.
“There are very experienced hookers like Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss and Schalk Brits ahead of me in the pecking order, so I need to be realistic about getting game time. But I’ll make the most of any opportunity, no matter how small.”
Springbok squad (in alphabetical order):
Willem Alberts (Sharks), Loose forward, 32 Test caps
Schalk Brits (Saracens, England), Hooker, 7
Schalk Burger (Stormers / Suntory, Japan), Loose forward, 75
Marcell Coetzee (Sharks), Loose forward, 26
Damian De Allende (Stormers), Centre, 3
Faf de Klerk (Lions/Pumas), Scrumhalf, 0
Bismarck du Plessis (Sharks), Hooker, 70
Jannie du Plessis (Sharks), Prop, 62
Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), Lock, 33
Elton Jantjies (Lions), Flyhalf, 2
Bryan Habana (Toulon, France), Wing, 106
Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs), Wing, 11
Zane Kirchner (Leinster, Ireland), Wing / Fullback, 29
Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Prop, 0
Vincent Koch (Stormers/Steval Pumas), Prop, 0
Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Loose forward, 10
Jesse Kriel (Bulls), Fullback, 0
Willie le Roux (Cheetahs), Fullback / Wing, 25
Francois Louw (Bath, England), Loose forward, 34
Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Prop, 4
Victor Matfield (Bulls), Lock, 121
Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (Cheetahs), Loose forward, 7
Franco Mostert (Lions), Lock, 0
Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Prop, 64
Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks), Wing, 10
Scarra Ntubeni (Stormers), Hooker, 0
Trevor Nyakane (Bulls), Prop, 13
Rudy Paige (Bulls), Scrumhalf, 0
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland), Scrumhalf, 80
JP Pietersen (Sharks), Centre / Wing, 59
Handré Pollard (Bulls), Flyhalf, 9
Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France), Flyhalf, 59
Adriaan Strauss (Bulls), Hooker, 44
Heinke van der Merwe (Stade Francais, France), Prop, 4
Marcel van der Merwe (Bulls), Prop, 4
Warren Whiteley (Lions), Loose forward, 2
Injured / Conditioning squad:
Heinrich Brussow (Cheetahs/Docomo, Japan), Loose forward, 20
Lood de Jager (Cheetahs), Lock, 9
Jean de Villiers (Stormers), Centre, 106
Fourie du Preez (Suntory, Japan), Scrumhalf, 70
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Sharks), Lock, 2
Jaque Fourie (Kobe, Japan), Centre, 72
Patrick Lambie (Sharks), Flyhalf / Fullback, 40
Lionel Mapoe (Lions), Centre, 0
Coenie Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), Prop, 21
Cobus Reinach (Sharks), Scrumhalf, 6
Jan Serfontein (Bulls), Centre, 20
Frans Steyn (Sharks), Centre, 53
Duane Vermeulen (Stormers), No 8, 29
