Former Junior Springbok prop and captain Zachary Porthen earned his first Springbok call-up on Monday as national coach Rassie Erasmus named a 36-man squad for their end-of-year tour in November.
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Zachary Porthen, who attended Wynberg Boys’ High School in Cape Town, made his Stormers United Rugby Championship (URC) debut in May, is the only uncapped player in the 36-man squad, who will depart for London in different groups from their respective franchises and clubs on Saturday and Sunday.
“We are excited about the makeup of this squad,” said Erasmus.
“Most of the players in the group have been with us throughout the season, while others are back from injury or have done the job for us before in the last few years.
“It’s also great to see a young player like Zachary, who has emerged through our junior structures, come through the ranks into the senior set-up, and we are excited to see what he can do at this level.”
Green and gold jersey
Should he selected to make his Springbok debut, Zachary Porthen will become the 16th Wynberg Old Boy to don the famed green and gold jersey – and the first to do so since Sikhumbuszo Notshe played his final Test in October 2018.
| Player | Date of birth |
| Toski Smith | 9 April 1871 |
| Pieter Dormehl | 4 November 1872 |
| Syd Ashley | 23 February 1880 |
| Frank Mellish | 26 March 1897 |
| Bennie Osler | 23 November 1901 |
| Sharkey Osler | 31 January 1907 |
| Jock van Niekerk | 1 June 1907 |
| Frankie Waring | 7 November 1908 |
| Dougie Holton | 28 September 1932 |
| Lionel Wilson | 25 May 1933 |
| Doug Hopwood | 3 June 1934 |
| Dave Stewart | 14 July 1935 |
| Rob Louw | 26 March 1955 |
| Robbie Fleck * | 17 July 1975 |
| Sikhumbuszo Notshe | 28 May 1993 |
NOTE: Robbie Fleck attended Wynberg Boys’ High School, but matriculated from Diocesan College.
The Springboks will face Japan in the first of five Tests on consecutive Saturdays at Wembley Stadium in London on 1 November, before lining up against France at Stade de France in Paris (8 November), Italy at the Allianz Stadium, Turin (15 November), Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (22 November), and Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff (29 November).
Springbok squad:
Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Zachary Porthen (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks)
Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Players on standby:
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Ulster), Neethling Fouche (Stormers), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Evan Roos (Stormers), Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sebastian De Klerk (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
