Four members of South Africa’s World Cup-winning team will be back in international action for the first time this year when the Springboks play New Zealand’s All Blacks in two Rugby Championship Tests.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday announced a 37-man squad for the games in Johannesburg on August 31 and Cape Town on September 7.

Prop Steven Kitshoff, all-rounder Canan Moodie and scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse have recovered from injuries, while number 8 Jasper Wiese has served a six-match ban after receiving a red card while playing for Leicester Tigers in May.

All four were part of the Springbok team that won the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, with Kitshoff and Wiese playing in the final against the All Blacks.

Erasmus has already used 45 players in six matches this year to increase squad depth at the start of a new World Cup cycle.

Thirty-two players competed in South Africa’s first two matches against Australia earlier this month, with the Springboks recording two bonus-point victories.

Scrum-half Morne van den Berg and hooker Johan Grobbelaar are the only two players eliminated from the game against Australia.

Lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, whose only previous Test was against Argentina in 2021, has been called up to bolster a department where leading players such as Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert and Jean Kleyn are unavailable due to injury.

“New Zealand is ranked third in the world and always challenges us to our limits,” said Erasmus.

“We also saw what they are capable of under pressure last week when they beat Argentina 42-10 after losing to the Pumas in their first test.

“We know that these two Tests will present a completely different challenge to the one we faced against an Australian team still finding their feet with a new coach and a number of young up-and-coming players.”

The Springboks meet in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“We are currently top of the Rugby Championship table but one result can change that, so we are aware of the importance of giving our all in these games to keep our hopes alive of winning the title for the first time since 2019,” Erasmus said.

Springbok squad

Props: Thomas du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp, ​​Jan-Hendrik Wessels

Hookers: Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi

Castles: Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje, RG Snyman, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg

Loose Forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese

Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams

Flyhalves: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard

Centers: Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel

Full-backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie

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