Kolisi among South Africa stars to miss Wales Test

Siya Kolisi has won 83 caps for South Africa

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi is one of 12 players from the matchday 23 who won the Rugby World Cup last year who will not be considered for a one-off Test against Wales at Twickenham on June 22.

Just 11 of the side that edged New Zealand 12-11 at the Stade de France in October will be available after injuries, club commitments and retirement ruled out the other 12.

"Players based in Europe, the UK and Ireland will not be considered for the Boks' first Test of the season against Wales at Twickenham," SA Rugby said in a statement.

Kolisi moved to Paris after the World Cup triumph to join Racing92 who on Saturday qualified for next week's Top 14 play-offs, with the semi-finals on the same weekend as the Wales Test.

The match is taking place outside the international window so teams beyond South Africa do not have to release players. Bulls players were also not named because of their involvement in the URC play-offs.

However, with the Japanese season completed eight South Africans based there were selected by head coach Rassie Erasmus on Sunday.

Veteran lock Eben Etzebeth is considered a strong candidate to skipper the world champion Springboks in a match that serves as a warm-up for two home Tests against Ireland during July.

Erasmus, who played different but key coaching roles in the 2019 and 2023 World Cup triumphs, named 18 forwards and 17 backs for a training camp in Pretoria, which begins on Monday.

He included fly-half Handre Pollard and No. 8 Jasper Wiese, but neither will be considered for Twickenham.

Wiese, the likely successor to retired Duane Vermeulen in the back row, was hit with a six-Test ban after being sent off in an English Premiership match, starting with the game against Wales.

Pollard was a key figure in the 2023 World Cup triumph. Initially ruled out of the tournament by injury, he was called up when hooker Malcolm Marx was sidelined.

The playmaker did not miss a single kick at goal in tense, one-point knockout victories over hosts France, England and New Zealand.

With Pollard out of the reckoning for Twickenham, Manie Libbok and uncapped pair Siya Masuku and Jordan Hendrikse will be the fly-half contenders.

Hendrikse and Masuku are among 11 uncapped players in the squad.

The newcomers are all home-based with Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Edwill van der Merwe, Morne van den Berg from the Johannesburg-based Lions; Phepsi Buthelezi, Siya Masuku, Ethan Hooker from the Sharks in Durban and Ben-Jason Dixon, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Neethling Fouche and Andre-Hugo Venter from Cape Town’s Stormers,

"We gained immense value by granting a few players a chance to prove what they can do at international level in the years leading up to the 2023 World Cup," said Erasmus.

"Some of the players who made their Test debuts were members of the squad that lifted the trophy in Paris, and we feel it is important that we continue blooding new players.

"Having them in camp and working closely with them on the field will set them and the team in good stead as we start laying the foundations for the 2027 World Cup in Australia."

After Wales, South Africa host Ireland - the only team to beat them at the 2023 World Cup - and Portugal in July, and follow that with six Rugby Championship matches against Australia, arch rivals New Zealand and Argentina in August and September.

The four-time world champions then take on Scotland, England and Wales during a November tour of Europe.

Backs: Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Jordan Hendrikse (Lions), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi, Siya Masuku (both Sharks), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe (both Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks)

Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Joseph Dweba, Ben-Jason Dixon (both Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Blu Revs), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)