WAAR'S WILLIE?

IT LOOKS like Willie le Roux and Faf de Klerk se tyd is verby after the Springbok veterans were excluded from coach Rassie Erasmus’ 36-man November touring squad to the northern hemisphere.

South Africa will play five Tests in Europe, starting with a clash against Japan on 1 November at Wembley.

The Boks then take on France (8 November, Paris), Italy (15 November, Tuirn), Ireland (22 November, Dublin) and Wales (29 November, Cardiff).  

And it seems like nog World Cup ysters are nearing the exit door with Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi only making the Boks’ 10-man standby group for the tour.

For Le Roux, the miskyk could be particularly harsteer after he looked back to his best at the weekend in the Bulls’ 29-27 win against Connacht in the United Rugby Championship.

However, the veteran and De Klerk seems to be surplus to requirements as Erasmus recalled Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe, while sticking with Morne van den Berg as the third scrumhalf option.

Among the forwards, Erasmus also decided to recall Stormers flank Ben-Jason Dixon, Bulls prop Gerhard Steenekamp and Munster lock Jean Kleyn.  

The Bok baas sprung a surprise after selecting Stormers rookie tighthead prop Zachary Porthen.

Erasmus wysed: “It’s great to see a young player like Zachary, who has emerged through our junior structures.”

Erasmus also included No.8 Juarno Augustus and wing Sebastian de Klerk as uncapped rookies in his standby squad that also includes Stormers Evan Roos, Neethling Fouche and Salmaan Moerat.

Bok squad: Forwards: Lood de Jager, Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Jean Kleyn, Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Zachary Porthen, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Boan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Jasper Wiese Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Manie Libbok, Canan Moodie, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Damian Willemse, Grant Williams

Players on standby: Juarno Augustus, Neethling Fouche, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Evan Roos, Vincent Tshituka, Lukhanyo Am, Sebastian De Klerk, Makazole Mapimpi