Rassie Erasmus has never been one to paint by numbers. He sketches rugby blueprints with a bold stroke, a man who sees opportunity in chaos and builds champions from grit and flair alike. This week, true to form, the Springbok coach invited three compelling uncapped players—Juarno 'Trokkie' Augustus, Vincent Tshituka, and Ntokozo Makhaza—to his second national alignment camp, stirring the Springbok waters with a mix of muscle, magic, and underdog mythos.
The alignment camp, set to take place in Cape Town and virtually for overseas-based players, is part strategy summit, part talent crucible. Among the 54 names, these three rookies stand like lightning rods—raw, charged, and ready to strike.
The Bulldozer from the North: Juarno Augustus
If rugby was a war of attrition, ‘Trokkie’ Augustus would be the tank commander. A rampaging loose forward built like a freight train and moving with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, Augustus has finally earned his Bok nod after bulldozing through Premiership defences with Northampton Saints this season. Still only 26, the former World Rugby U20 Player of the Year has matured into a multi-dimensional threat—able to carry, offload, and tackle with ferocious intent.
I’ve worked hard for this moment. I always believed my time would come. I’m here to prove I belong.
In many ways, Augustus is a throwback to the days when Springbok loose forwards ruled the gainline like kings—think Juan Smith or Duane Vermeulen. But Erasmus, the grandmaster of reinvention, sees him as something more: a brutal enforcer with surprising athleticism, perhaps a wildcard against northern hemisphere powerhouses come November.
The Nomadic Warrior: Vincent Tshituka
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raised in Johannesburg, and now finally a South African passport holder, Vincent Tshituka’s journey to the green and gold has been as winding as a rugby ball’s bounce. The Sharks flanker is a dynamic dynamo—equal parts finesse and fury—who blends explosive pace with aerial dominance and breakdown nous.
Vincent’s got an engine that doesn’t stop and a hunger you can’t coach. He’s been waiting for his shot, and now he’s ready.
Tshituka’s selection comes at a pivotal time. With veterans like Deon Fourie and Elrigh Louw nursing injuries, the Boks need fresh legs and fearless hearts in the loose trio. His style? Like a predator stalking in broken play—fast, instinctive, unrelenting.
The Varsity Virtuoso: Ntokozo Makhaza
If Augustus is the hammer and Tshituka the blade, then Ntokozo Makhaza is the paintbrush—a dazzling, unpredictable artist with speed to burn and the instincts of a street footballer. Coming off a scintillating Varsity Cup campaign for UCT Ikey Tigers, where he was crowned Player of the Tournament, Makhaza is set to join the Toyota Cheetahs—but it’s this Bok call-up that signals his sudden and spectacular rise.
I still can’t believe it. Just a few months ago I was writing exams. Now I’m heading into a Springbok camp. It’s surreal.
At just 23, the winger has the flair of a young Kolbe, is a deadly accurate placekicker, with the hunger of someone who’s had to fight for every inch. For Erasmus, Makhaza is the bolt from the blue—the kind of player who breaks lines, breaks ankles, and maybe, just maybe, breaks into the national squad proper.
Rassie’s Roulette
Erasmus has always been a tactician who backs gut alongside data, a coach who treats conventional wisdom like a tackling bag. This alignment camp isn’t just about preparing for the Barbarians, the Castle Lager Incoming Series, or the Rugby Championship. It’s about building depth for a season that stretches from June to the icy Tests of November, and possibly, planting seeds for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
This is an exciting bunch. They’ve performed under pressure, and we want to see how they align with our system, our culture. We’re building something—not just for now, but for the future.
With eight uncapped players and a mix of youth, grit, and overseas flair, Erasmus is once again rolling the dice—but this time, the stakes are generational.
Rugby, like life, rewards the bold. And in Rassie Erasmus’s Springbok blueprint, boldness is not a risk. It’s the foundation.
From underdog tales to loose-forward legends in the making, the Bok alignment camp may yet become a defining chapter in the next green-and-gold evolution. For Trokkie, Vincent, and Ntokozo, the journey has just begun—and the canvas is wide open.
Players invited to Springbok alignment camp in Cape Town (in alphabetical order):
Forwards: Renzo du Plessis (Emirates Lions), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Emirates Lions), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Vincent Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ntokozo Makhaza (UCT), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Morne van den Berg, Edwilll van der Merwe (both Emirates Lions), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Players invited to virtual Springbok alignment camp (in alphabetical order):
Forwards: Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Jean Kleyn (Munster), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets).
Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (DynaBoars), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier).
