Evan Roos called up to Springbok squad following Cameron Hanekom injury

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus added Stormers No. 8 Evan Roos to his squad for the matches against the Barbarians and Castle Lager Incoming Series, increasing the size of his group to 55 players.

Roos, who attended the first alignment in Cape Town in February, has run out seven times in the green and gold. His last Test was against Portugal in Bloemfontein in the 2024 Castle Lager Incoming Series, before he was sidelined for several months due to shoulder surgery.

This comes after Hanekom went down with what looks to be a serious knee injury during the Bulls' United Rugby Championship semifinal win over the Sharks on Saturday.

The Springbok squad will report for duty in Johannesburg on Sunday afternoon and begin their on-field preparations on Monday, as the team gets the wheels in motion for the international season starting in under three weeks.

The Boks will kick off their season against the Barbarians in Cape Town on Saturday, 28 June, in the first ever match between the sides on South African soil, before taking on Italy in back-to-back Tests in Pretoria and Gqeberha on 5 and 12 July, and Georgia in Nelspruit on 19 July in the Castle Lager Incoming Series.

With the Bulls and Leinster battling it out in the URC Grand Final at Croke Park in Dublin next week Saturday, and Bath and Leicester meeting in the Gallagher Premiership final on the same day, the players will join the squad based on a staggered approach, until the completion of respective club commitments.