South Africa rugby coach Heyneke Meyer named nine uncapped players on Saturday for a June quadrangular Test series.
The Springboks play Italy in Durban on June 8, Scotland in Nelspruit on June 15, and one of those countries or Samoa on June 22 in Pretoria.
Among the newcomers are Bulls centre Jan Serfontein and Sharks lock Pieter-Steph du Toit from the 2012 world junior championship-winning team.
Also called up for the first time is Cheetahs wily wing Willie le Roux, the outstanding South African back during this Super Rugby season.
Other first-time call-ups go to props Lourens Adriaanse and Trevor Nyakane and flank Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne from the impressive Cheetahs outfit.
Bulls scrum-half Jano Vermaak and flank Arno Botha and Western Stormers flank Siya Kolisi complete the nine never to have worn the green and gold.
A surprise omission was Cheetahs centre Robert Ebersohn, who was widely expected to make the first Springbok squad of the 12-Test season.
“It is never easy selecting a squad as there are always players unlucky to miss out,” Meyer told a media conference.
“But there will always be an opportunity to reclaim your place as Gio (Aplon) and JJ (Engelbrecht) have shown this season.
“Jan and Pieter-Steph making the step up from junior level is good to see – I have always rated them and they shone in Super Rugby this year.”
Experienced Bulls fly-half Morne Steyn was recalled after regaining the goal-kicking form that deserted him last year.
Sharks playmaker Patrick Lambie, who succeeded Steyn in the No.10 national jersey, was also included, but there was no place for Stormer Elton Jantjies.
Another Stormer, veteran centre Jean de Villiers, was confirmed as captain for a season that includes the Rugby Championship and a tour to Europe.
Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis was selected despite missing part of the last Super 15 season and all of this one due to injury.
Squad
Backs: Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelbrecht, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchner, Jan Serfontein, Morne Steyn, Jano Vermaak (all Northern Bulls), Gio Aplon, Bryan Habana, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (capt) (all Western Stormers), Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo (both Coastal Sharks), Willie le Roux (Central Cheetahs), Ruan Pienaar (Ulster/NIR)
Forwards: Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit (all Sharks), Arno Botha, Juandre Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Pierre Spies (all Bulls), Lourens Adriaanse, Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne, Coenie Oosthuizen, Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss (all Cheetahs), Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi (both Stormers), Francois Louw (Bath/ENG) Coach: Heyneke Meyer
