The South Africa selectors have included nine new caps in the squad of 37 for the tour to Europe which kicks off at Leicester Tigers on Friday.
World Cup-winning captain John Smit again leads the squad which also includes five players who have been recalled, while the balance of 23 players is the bulk of the squad that won the 2009 Vodacom Tri-Nations.
The newcomers are scrum-half Heini Adams, centre Juan de Jongh, lock Alistair Hargreaves, No8 Ashley Johnson, Davon Raubenheimer, Riaan Viljoen, Francois Hougaard, Bandise Maku and flanker Dewald Potgieter, who captained the Emerging Springboks against the British & Irish Lions in June.
Full-back Zane Kirchner and wing Jongi Nokwe, who both played in the third Test against the Lions in July but missed the Tri-Nations, return and centre Meyer Bosman, who last played a Test in 2006 is also recalled. Earl Rose and prop Heinke van der Merwe aree also given another chance at international level.
Western Province lock Andries Bekker and Sharks wing JP Pietersen, who were injured during the Tri-Nations, both return to the squad.
Flanker Juan Smith is ruled out due to injury, while scrum-half Ricky Januarie, Jean de Villiers and Frans Steyn are left out.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers said: “We will go on tour with a strong core of players who have reached great heights this season, but we are under no illusions about the challenges we face.
“We do, however, have a fairly settled Test team that boasts a significant number of caps and is well experienced. But, what we have achieved so far will have little bearing and we will be starting from scratch as we try to put the seal on a very successful season”.
De Villiers said the five-match tour would allow him the opportunity to assess various players, particularly at inside centre and full-back now that Jean de Villiers and Frans Steyn are playing their club rugby in Europe.
The squad of 37 assembles in Johannesburg on Monday, with the team for the midweek matches departing for the UK on Tuesday.
Springbok touring squad 2009 (Test caps in brackets)
Forwards
John Smit – Sharks, Captain (90)
Victor Matfield - Vodacom Blue Bulls, vice-Captain (89)
Andries Bekker - Vodacom Western Province (18)
Bakkies Botha - Vodacom Blue Bulls (63)
Heinrich Brüssow - Vodacom Cheetahs (10)
Schalk Burger – Vodacom Western Province (53)
Bismarck du Plessis - Sharks (30)
Jannie du Plessis - Sharks (12)
Alistair Hargreaves - Sharks (-)
Ashley Johnson - Vodacom Cheetahs (-)
Ryan Kankowski - Sharks (10)
Bandise Maku - Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Tendai Mtawarira - Sharks (19)
Dewald Potgieter - Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Chiliboy Ralepelle - Vodacom Blue Bulls (8)
Davon Raubenheimer – GWK Griquas (-)
Danie Rossouw - Vodacom Blue Bulls (43)
Pierre Spies - Vodacom Blue Bulls (28)
Gurthrö Steenkamp - Vodacom Blue Bulls (22)
Heinke van der Merwe - Xerox Lions (1)
Backs (17)
Heini Adams – Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Meyer Bosman - Vodacom Cheetahs (3)
Juan de Jongh - Vodacom Western Province (-)
Fourie du Preez - Vodacom Blue Bulls (52)
Jaque Fourie - Xerox Lions (51)
Bryan Habana - Vodacom Blue Bulls (54)
Francois Hougaard - Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Adi Jacobs - Sharks (28)
Zane Kirchner - Vodacom Blue Bulls (1)
Odwa Ndungane - Sharks (6)
Jongi Nokwe - Vodacom Cheetahs (4)
Wynand Olivier - Vodacom Blue Bulls (24)
Ruan Pienaar - Sharks (35)
JP Pietersen - Sharks (30)
Earl Rose - Xerox Lions (-)
Morne Steyn - Vodacom Blue Bulls (9)
Riaan Viljoen – GWK Griquas (-)
Springbok Tour Fixtures
Nov 6 v Leicester Tigers
Nov 13 Test v France
Nov 17 v Saracens
Nov 21 Test v Italy
Nov 28 Test v Ireland
World Cup-winning captain John Smit again leads the squad which also includes five players who have been recalled, while the balance of 23 players is the bulk of the squad that won the 2009 Vodacom Tri-Nations.
The newcomers are scrum-half Heini Adams, centre Juan de Jongh, lock Alistair Hargreaves, No8 Ashley Johnson, Davon Raubenheimer, Riaan Viljoen, Francois Hougaard, Bandise Maku and flanker Dewald Potgieter, who captained the Emerging Springboks against the British & Irish Lions in June.
Full-back Zane Kirchner and wing Jongi Nokwe, who both played in the third Test against the Lions in July but missed the Tri-Nations, return and centre Meyer Bosman, who last played a Test in 2006 is also recalled. Earl Rose and prop Heinke van der Merwe aree also given another chance at international level.
Western Province lock Andries Bekker and Sharks wing JP Pietersen, who were injured during the Tri-Nations, both return to the squad.
Flanker Juan Smith is ruled out due to injury, while scrum-half Ricky Januarie, Jean de Villiers and Frans Steyn are left out.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers said: “We will go on tour with a strong core of players who have reached great heights this season, but we are under no illusions about the challenges we face.
“We do, however, have a fairly settled Test team that boasts a significant number of caps and is well experienced. But, what we have achieved so far will have little bearing and we will be starting from scratch as we try to put the seal on a very successful season”.
De Villiers said the five-match tour would allow him the opportunity to assess various players, particularly at inside centre and full-back now that Jean de Villiers and Frans Steyn are playing their club rugby in Europe.
The squad of 37 assembles in Johannesburg on Monday, with the team for the midweek matches departing for the UK on Tuesday.
Springbok touring squad 2009 (Test caps in brackets)
Forwards
John Smit – Sharks, Captain (90)
Victor Matfield - Vodacom Blue Bulls, vice-Captain (89)
Andries Bekker - Vodacom Western Province (18)
Bakkies Botha - Vodacom Blue Bulls (63)
Heinrich Brüssow - Vodacom Cheetahs (10)
Schalk Burger – Vodacom Western Province (53)
Bismarck du Plessis - Sharks (30)
Jannie du Plessis - Sharks (12)
Alistair Hargreaves - Sharks (-)
Ashley Johnson - Vodacom Cheetahs (-)
Ryan Kankowski - Sharks (10)
Bandise Maku - Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Tendai Mtawarira - Sharks (19)
Dewald Potgieter - Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Chiliboy Ralepelle - Vodacom Blue Bulls (8)
Davon Raubenheimer – GWK Griquas (-)
Danie Rossouw - Vodacom Blue Bulls (43)
Pierre Spies - Vodacom Blue Bulls (28)
Gurthrö Steenkamp - Vodacom Blue Bulls (22)
Heinke van der Merwe - Xerox Lions (1)
Backs (17)
Heini Adams – Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Meyer Bosman - Vodacom Cheetahs (3)
Juan de Jongh - Vodacom Western Province (-)
Fourie du Preez - Vodacom Blue Bulls (52)
Jaque Fourie - Xerox Lions (51)
Bryan Habana - Vodacom Blue Bulls (54)
Francois Hougaard - Vodacom Blue Bulls (-)
Adi Jacobs - Sharks (28)
Zane Kirchner - Vodacom Blue Bulls (1)
Odwa Ndungane - Sharks (6)
Jongi Nokwe - Vodacom Cheetahs (4)
Wynand Olivier - Vodacom Blue Bulls (24)
Ruan Pienaar - Sharks (35)
JP Pietersen - Sharks (30)
Earl Rose - Xerox Lions (-)
Morne Steyn - Vodacom Blue Bulls (9)
Riaan Viljoen – GWK Griquas (-)
Springbok Tour Fixtures
Nov 6 v Leicester Tigers
Nov 13 Test v France
Nov 17 v Saracens
Nov 21 Test v Italy
Nov 28 Test v Ireland
