Former Junior Springbok captain Zachary Porthen will make his Springbok debut against Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday as Bok coach Rassie Erasmus named a largely settled match-23 for the opening match of the November Internationals.
Erasmus named 16 players in his matchday squad that featured in the team’s 29-27 victory against Argentina in their final Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash earlier this month, which saw them clinch the title for the second year in a row.
According to a SA Rugby statement, three players will make a welcome return to the squad having last featured earlier in the season, while two others, who have not been involved so far in 2025, are back in the green and gold.
Kurt-Lee Arendse (wing), Franco Mostert (utility forward), and Lood de Jager (lock) will reclaim their places in the starting XV after missing the last few matches due to injuries and a family bereavement. Gerhard Steenekamp (prop) and Johan Grobbelaar (hooker) are back among the replacements after last featuring in the 2024 Castle Lager Outgoing Tour.
André Esterhuizen, who has become known as a hybrid player, has also been named on the replacements bench as a back-up loose forward, although he could be drafted into the backline if the need arises.
Ox Nche, Porthen – who will become the youngest prop to make his Test debut for the Springboks in the professional era – and Malcolm Marx will form a quality front row, while RG Snyman and De Jager will join forces in the engine room, and Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will form a loose trio with Mostert and Jasper Wiese, completing a powerful pack for the match.
In the backline, Cobus Reinach and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will dictate play at halfback, with the exciting Arendse and Ethan Hooker on the wings, whilst Cheslin Kolbe moves from his regular wing position to fullback for the clash.
The experienced Japan-based centre pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel will partner up in the midfield.
On the replacements bench, Grobbelaar will unite with Steenekamp and Wilco Louw in the back-up front row, with Ruan Nortje providing lock cover, Esterhuizen covering at flanker, and Kwagga Smith providing further loose forward cover. The two backs on the bench are playmakers Grant Williams and Manie Libbok, who will also play a crucial role in providing a notable impact off the bench.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus said, “Six players in the group are currently plying their trade in Japan, and we believe their experience of playing in that league and either with or against some of their players will be a bonus for us, but I’m sure Japan will also tap into their knowledge of those players as they prepare for the match.”
He added, “It is also good to have a few players back in the mix after missing a few games due to various reasons, and one can sense their excitement to be back in the squad, so we felt this is the best team we could field against a quality Japan outfit, who will want to make a strong point against us.”
On Porthen being named in the starting team in his first week with the squad, Erasmus shared, “He proved what he can do at the Vodacom United Rugby Championship level and with the Junior Springboks. We look forward to seeing what he can offer in his first Test match.”
Erasmus continued, “Obviously, he has a lot to learn this week, but we have experienced players in the squad who have been helping and guiding him, and we believe this is the right match to give him an opportunity to prove what he can do.
At this level, you have to sink or swim, so although it will be a challenging week for him to learn our structures, it will also be a very exciting week for him.
Commenting on the challenge Japan poses, Erasmus said it would be a tough encounter, especially if one looks at the strides they have made in the last few years.
“They are a quality team, and they have a top coach in Eddie Jones, so we have no doubt they’ll throw everything at us.”
Erasmus added, “They beat us in 2015, and they showed what a quality outfit they are in the first half of our 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-final against them, so we are expecting them to come out guns blazing.
“They also lost by only four points against Australia last weekend, which is a testament to the improvement they have been making, so we need to be sharp on attack and defence if we want to get the result.
“Very little separates the top teams in the world, and if you are not on your game both mentally and physically on the day, anything can happen. So, we will treat them with the utmost respect, and we also know how important this match will be to set the tone for the rest of our tour.”
The match kicks off at 18:10 Central African Time (CAT) on Saturday, 1 November 2025.
Springbok team to face Japan in London:
1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 46 caps
2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 84 caps
3 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – uncapped
4 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 46 caps
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 71 caps
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 98 caps
7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 81 caps
8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 39 caps
9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 46 caps
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 15 caps
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps
12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 93 caps
13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 84 caps
14 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 5 caps
15 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 46 caps
Replacements:
16 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps
17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps
18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps
19 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 13 caps
20 André Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 24 caps
21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 59 caps
22 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 24 caps
23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 24 caps
