‘No Room For Complacency’: Rassie Recalls Moerat As Springboks Launch High-Stakes European Tour

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named an experienced matchday 23 on Monday for their opening match of the second phase of the 2026 Nations Championship against Italy in Turin on Saturday.

The encounter is expected to set the tone for the Springboks’ European tour, with the Finals Weekend only a few weeks away.

Erasmus has opted for a largely settled line-up, with lock Salmaan Moerat the only player in the matchday squad set to make his first appearance in the green and gold jersey this season. Moerat missed the first phase of the Nations Championship and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series due to neck and toe injuries.

Moerat will partner the hard-working Ruan Nortje in the second row of a formidable forward pack. The front row features Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit and Malcolm Marx, while captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese complete the loose trio.

The Springbok backline is equally settled, with halfbacks Morne van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu set to dictate play. They will be supported by the experienced midfield pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, while Ethan Hooker, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Damian Willemse form an exciting back three.

Erasmus has opted for a six-two split on the replacements bench, with six forwards and two backs included.

Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp and Wilco Louw provide front-row cover, while Lood de Jager offers additional options at lock. Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers complete the forward contingent, with Grant Williams and Manie Libbok providing backline cover.

The Springboks currently top the Southern Hemisphere standings, level on 15 points with New Zealand but occupying first place thanks to a superior points difference.

Following the clash against Italy, the Boks will travel to Paris to face France on Friday, 13 November, before heading to Dublin for their final pool match against Ireland on Saturday, 21 November. The Finals Weekend will conclude on Sunday, 29 November.

“We have three challenging matches ahead if we want to advance to the last game of the Finals Weekend, so our next three matches are going to be vital to lay a strong foundation for the tour,” said Erasmus.

“All our energy is focused on the match against Italy for now. Fortunately, some of the Japan-based players were able to travel to Italy earlier than the rest of the squad, so they have been working with some of the coaching staff for a few days already and are fully in the swing of things, while we had our first training session on Monday afternoon, so everyone is now on the same page.”

Erasmus added: “With the majority of the squad having played together for most of the season, we are confident that the players who participated in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and French Top 14 will ease into things seamlessly this week at training.

“The fact that they are battle-hardened after a few tough matches will offer us a good balance, with fresh players raring to go and others coming off a few challenging matches for their franchises and clubs.”

Commenting on the six uncapped players in the travelling squad – Markus Muller, Emmanuel Tshituka, Luan Giliomee, Riley Norton, Sebastian de Klerk and Yaqeen Ahmed – Erasmus said they were eager to make the most of the opportunity.

“They all joined us in camp today and are excited about the tour ahead, so we’ll expose them to our structures this week and monitor how they progress. Hopefully, we’ll be able to give them a chance to show what they can do at this level against top opposition in the next few weeks.

“They are special players, who all bring something different to the team, and we have full faith in their talent and skillsets.”

With Italy currently ranked 11th in the world and determined to climb the Northern Hemisphere standings, where they currently occupy the bottom position, Erasmus expects a spirited performance from the hosts.

“Italy are a quality team who will enter this match with immense motivation, with an eye on trying to start their home leg on a positive note in front of their home crowd. They have challenged us well before, so we have no doubt they will come out as passionate and driven as ever,” said Erasmus.

“They have quality forwards and backline players, and although they are missing a few key players due to injury, they have a talented squad with players who will certainly want to make their mark with the 2027 Rugby World Cup less than a year away, so they will give everything on Saturday.

“The vital factors for us, however, will be to be accurate in our execution and to play for the full 80 minutes, especially given the high stakes at the end of these three pool matches.

“Make no mistake, though, they will be raring to go, not only with the Nations Championship in mind, but also to take full advantage of these matches as all the participating teams in the competition are preparing for the Rugby World Cup next year.”

The match kicks off at 13:40 (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.