UK tour may signal the end for some

SPRINGBOKS: COULD BE A FINAL HURRAH IN GREEN AND GOLD FOR A FEW VETERAN PLAYERS

- Ross Roche

A few Springbok veterans may be enjoying their final hurrah in the green and gold on the end-of-year tour to the UK next month, where the world champions will come up against Scotland, England and Wales.

Coach Rassie Erasmus named a very experienced squad of 34 players for the tour, which became 35 when utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels was ruled out through injury, which saw two players called up in his place.

Erasmus chose to not call up a number of exciting young up-and-coming talents for the tour, deciding to stick with most of his tried and tested veterans, which makes one wonder if this could be a final tour for a few of them.

Some of the players who can feel slightly aggrieved at missing out on the tour include Cameron Hanekom and David Kriel (both Bulls), Henco van Wyk, Edwill van der Merwe, Sanele Nohamba, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Francke Horn (all Lions), Ethan Hooker (Sharks) and Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers).