5 Saffers named in Sunwolves squad

Cape Town - Sunwolves coach Jamie Joseph has named his squad for the 2018 Super Rugby season.

There are five South African-born players named in the Japanese team's squad.

They include lock Grant Hattingh, prop Ruan Smith, wing Gerhard van den Heever and loose forwards Willie Britz and Wimpie van der Walt, who recently made his international debut for Japan.

Britz, a former Cheetahs and Lions player, was a regular member of the Sunwolves squad in the 2017 season, while South Africans will remember Hattingh as a having previously represented the Bulls.

Smith is a former Brumbies and Western Province front ranker, while Van den Heever previously represented the Bulls and Stormers.

The Sunwolves ended last season bottom of the South African Group with only two wins.

The Sunwolves will compete in the Australasian Conference in the new-look Super Rugby format next year.

They open their 2018 campaign on February 24 against the Brumbies in Tokyo.

Sunwolves 2018 Super Rugby squad:

Keita Inagaki, Asaeli Aivalu, Jiwon Koo, Ruan Smith, Craig Millar, Jaba Bradvadze, Shota Horie, Grant Hattingh, Sam Wykes, Kazuki Imeno, Uwe Helu, Edward Quirk, Shunsuke Nunomaki, Wimpie van der Walt, Willie Britz, Michael Leitch, Fumiaki Tanaka, Yu Tamura, Hayden Parker, Harumichi Tatekawa, Timoth Lafaele, Gerhard van den Heever, Kenki Fukuoka, Akihit Yamada, Lamano Lava Lemeki, Robbie Robinson

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— HITO-Com SUNWOLVES (@sunwolves) December 4, 2017