Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has on Wednesday called up six uncapped players to reinforce his 37-man squad after injuries ruled Cheslin Kolbe, Eben Etzebeth, Andre Esterhuizen and Handre Pollard out of contention for South Africa’s demanding November Test campaign.

The world champions face crucial Nations Championship clashes against Italy, France and Ireland, with Erasmus banking on emerging talent and experienced campaigners to maintain South Africa’s momentum in the competition.

Yaqeen Ahmed, Sebastian de Klerk, Luan Giliomee, Markus Muller, Riley Norton and Emmanuel Tshituka have earned their first senior Springbok call-ups ahead of the final four Tests of the season.

South Africa will face Italy on 7 November, France on 13 November and Ireland on 21 November before the Nations Championship Finals Weekend in London from 27 to 29 November.

The absence of four established players presents a challenge for Erasmus as he prepares his team for a demanding European tour.

However, the coach remains confident in the depth available and believes the newcomers have earned their opportunities through consistent performances at franchise level.

“We’ve had all six players on our radar for a while now, and they’ve delivered consistently for their respective franchises in the last two seasons, so they thoroughly deserve their call-ups,” Erasmus said.

“We’ve seen what most of them are capable of first-hand in our season-opening matches and at our training camps, so we are delighted to see what they have to offer on this tour.”

According to the Boks’ statement issued today, the six players have previous experience within the national set-up. Ahmed, Giliomee, Muller and Tshituka represented the South African ‘A’ team against Zimbabwe, while Norton, a former Junior Springbok captain, featured for the senior side against the Barbarians earlier this season. De Klerk attended a national alignment camp last year.

Erasmus said in the statement that building squad depth remained a key priority, particularly as South Africa prepared to face some of the strongest teams in international rugby.

“Building squad depth has always been one of our key pillars as a team, and all those players have shown that they have what it takes to compete at top franchise level,” he said.

Norton, Giliomee and Ahmed have also been part of Junior Springbok squads that won the Junior World Championship, while Giliomee has gained additional international experience with the Springbok Sevens side, the Blitzboks.

Reflecting on the injured players, Erasmus acknowledged their absence but said it would create opportunities for others to stake their claims.

“It’s always sad to lose players of that calibre, but we are pleased with the cover we have in those positions, and it also offers other players the opportunity to put up their hands,” he said.

The Springboks enter the November leg level with New Zealand on 15 points at the top of the Southern Hemisphere standings, with points difference separating the sides.

Their upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining their position heading into the Finals Weekend.

Erasmus has warned his players not to underestimate Italy, despite the hosts’ lower world ranking, pointing to the challenge of playing away from home in front of a passionate crowd.

“Italy may be ranked 11th in the world at this stage, but they are a quality team who have tested us to the limit at times, so we will not be fooled by the standings,” he said.

France, ranked fourth in the world, will provide another stern test, with recent meetings between the sides often decided by narrow margins. Ireland will also pose a significant threat, having won four of their previous six encounters with South Africa, although the Springboks won their most recent meeting in Dublin a year ago.

Erasmus said all three opponents would present different challenges and that his team would need to remain accurate, adaptable and focused throughout the tour.

“This is an intense competition and every point counts,” he said. “We have a big job ahead, and it will be important to hit the ground running.”

The Springboks are scheduled to assemble in Italy in separate groups on Sunday and Monday to begin preparations for a November campaign that will test their squad depth and resilience as they pursue a strong finish to the season.