The uncapped Blitzbok star Ruhan Nel, Vincent Koch (prop), Sbu Nkosi (wing), Lionel Mapoe (centre) and Ivan van Zyl (scrumhalf) have been added to the Springbok squad for their final two Rugby Championship home matches against the Wallabies and the All Blacks.
They will join the 17 players already in camp in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. The Springboks face the Wallabies next Saturday, 29 September in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, before concluding the Rugby Championship with a return fixture against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria a week later.
Nel, who plays outside centre for the Western Province in the Currie Cup, is included among the backs alongside Mapoe. Nkosi, who returned to action for the Sharks in the Currie Cup on Saturday, has recovered from the ankle injury that prevented him from playing in any Rugby Championship matches so far this year.
Front ranker Koch is currently starring for Saracens in England. Meanwhile, Trevor Nyakane (prop, Vodacom Blue Bulls) will continue with his conditioning program under the supervision of the Springbok conditioning and medical staff over the next two weeks.
Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby's Director of Rugby, said he was excited to welcome back players such as Van Zyl, Mapoe and Nkosi, and to work with Nel and Koch.
"Ruhan comes with a lot of international experience with the Blitzboks and he has performed consistently well for DHL WP, so it will be good to see how he operates in the Bok environment," said Erasmus.
"Trevor and Sbu have been part of the squad earlier in the year and it's good to welcome them back, while the players who featured for their provinces in recent weeks all got some valuable game time."