Rassie Erasmus has confirmed the Springbok squad will not be trimmed ahead of the four-Test series against the All Blacks, with selection for the opening Test in Johannesburg on 22 August now two weeks away.
The decision mirrors New Zealand's approach — they have named a 44-man touring party — and leaves Erasmus with a 41-man group to assess over the coming fortnight. Fifteen players are already in South Africa preparing for the series opener, while the 26-man contingent that travelled to Buenos Aires returns home in two groups on Sunday and Monday.
"We're not going to trim the squad," Erasmus said. "In the next two weeks we'll have to look at our injuries and then we'll pick the team that we hope can try and beat New Zealand in the first Test match."
The Springboks closed their pre-series campaign with a 17-10 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday, a result Erasmus described as more about character than quality. Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu all got through game time as they continue their injury comebacks, and Erasmus is content to let the fitness picture clarify before naming his matchday 23.
Cameron Hanekom's display at No.8 was the standout individual contribution on the night, though Erasmus was measured in his assessment, reaffirming Jasper Wiese's status at the top of that pecking order. "Jasper is still the clear number one at No.8. Cameron played really well against an Argentinian team that knocked us over a few times, so it's lekker to have another option there. He's starting to settle in nicely — getting better every game."
Erasmus drew broader lessons from the Buenos Aires grind, framing close-fought Tests as the ideal preparation for a series he expects to be relentless. "The lesson is that knockout-level rugby is always close. World Cup pool games can sometimes be a bit more comfortable, but this is exactly the kind of match you learn from." He went further, suggesting the four-Test, seven-week schedule could present a stiffer cumulative test than the pool stage of a World Cup.
The All Blacks, already on South African soil, opened their tour with a narrow win over a depleted Stormers side in Cape Town, the visitors level at 14-14 with 15 minutes to play before pulling clear late — a performance that offers the Springbok camp some tactical intelligence ahead of Johannesburg.