South Africa’s new national boss Johan Rassie Erasmus has recalled senior figures who play their rugby abroad in Europe and named a new Test captain as Six Nations flops England prepare to Tour.
The Springboks host Eddie Jones’s Red Rose, who are on a four-match losing streak, in three mid-year internationals following their friendly with Wales in the American capital Washington DC.
England first meet South Africa at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on Saturday, 9 June, then play them again seven days later in Bloemfontein’s Free State Stadium, with the series then going to a potential decider at Newlands in Cape Town on 23 June.
During the tenure of Erasmus’s predecessor Allister Coetzee, the Springboks slipped from third to sixth in rugby’s world rankings – a rating that puts them between Scotland and recent opponents Wales.
Australian coach Jones has seen his Red Rose side move down to third after their disappointing fifth place finish in the 2018 Six Nations Championship held earlier this year in February and March.
England had won the previous two editions of the tournaments but found themselves eclipsed by Grand Slam winners Ireland, who sit just behind New Zealand in the rankings.
South Africa start as first Test and series winners favourites in the rugby union betting over at bet365, while the tourists are outsiders despite their strong Southern Hemisphere performances on their last two trips below the Equator.
Experienced internationals back in Springboks setup Erasmus has been quick to capitalise on expatriate South African players with international experience and bring them back into the fold.
Aviva Premiership clubs Sale Sharks and Wasps have representation in Springbok ranks through scrum-half Faf de Klerk and fullback Willie le Roux, who has more South Africa caps than all the back three options put together.
Montpellier Herault pair Bismarck du Plessis (hooker) and Francois Steyn (centre) are regulars in the French Top 14 league, meanwhile, and their returns provide leadership in the front row and midfield respectively.
Only long-serving Springboks prop Tendai Mtawarira, better known as “The Beast” has more caps than Du Plessis on Erasmus’s first roster, while Steyn is the most-capped back by some way.
There’s a third France-based player in the South Africa squad too in Toulon’s number eight Duane Vermeulen.
Fellow back-row forward Siya Kolisi of Super Rugby franchise Western Stormers becomes the first black Springboks captain, meanwhile.
It’s almost a quarter of a century since the end of apartheid in South Africa, yet rugby union has struggled to shrug off its image as predominantly being a sport played by white people.
Erasmus insists Kolisi’s appointment as Springboks skipper, replacing the injured Warren Whiteley, has nothing to do with politics or race but because of leadership qualities shown with his club.
That being said, however, it is understood that South African Rugby has reached an agreement with the government to name a Rugby World Cup squad for next year’s finals in Japan that is 50 per cent black.
Useful lock Pieter-Steph du Toit captained the Springboks in their match against Wales, yet Kolisi has deputised with the armband before when another second row, Eben Etzebeth, picked up an injury last year.