Three Players Who Could Be Surprise Springbok Call-Ups This November

With the Boks preparing to head North for the final leg of the Nations Championship, all eyes will soon turn to Rassie and the squad he selects for the November tour. With fixtures against Italy, France and Ireland, followed by a final match at Twickenham, there is plenty at stake. But with the 2027 Rugby World Cup now less than a year away, November could also present an opportunity to introduce some fresh faces into the Springbok environment.

Rassie has never been afraid to back a player he believes has something special to offer, regardless of age or experience. We've seen it time and again throughout his tenure, and with the demands of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry now behind us, there is every reason to believe that squad rotation and experimentation could once again form part of his plans. While the established stars will undoubtedly have an important role to play, there are a few players who have put their hands up in the opening rounds of the URC and might just have done enough to earn themselves a call-up.

One of the most intriguing candidates is Hacjivah Dayimani, who has returned to the Stormers following his stint in France looking like a considerably more complete player. Dayimani has never lacked natural ability. His extraordinary pace for a loose forward, athleticism and ability to exploit space have always made him one of the most exciting attacking forwards in South African rugby. What has perhaps held him back from international recognition in the past, however, has been questions surrounding his physical contributions and whether his game offered enough beyond those moments of attacking brilliance.

Those questions are becoming increasingly difficult to ask. Since returning from France, Dayimani appears to have added a new level of maturity and physicality to his game. His work rate has been impressive, his willingness to get involved in the tougher exchanges has improved, and he seems far more comfortable doing the less glamorous work expected of a loose forward. His two tries against the Sharks last weekend were another reminder of the attacking threat he offers, but it is the development of the other aspects of his game that makes him such an interesting prospect.

There is also a very obvious comparison to be made with Kwagga Smith. Not necessarily because Dayimani is a like-for-like replacement, but because he possesses the attributes to fulfil a similar role within the Springbok setup. Kwagga has become one of Rassie's most valuable players through his ability to inject energy, pace and intensity into a match, particularly off the bench. Dayimani offers that same sort of explosive athleticism, and if his improved physical contributions can translate to international rugby, he could provide another valuable weapon in the Springbok loose-forward arsenal. At 29, he is hardly an inexperienced youngster, but perhaps the time spent in France has helped turn an exceptionally gifted rugby player into one who is finally ready for the demands of Test rugby.

Another player who could find himself back in the Springbok picture is Riley Norton, whose international ambitions were cruelly interrupted earlier this year. The young Stormers lock was on the verge of making his Test debut against England in July before a severe hamstring injury ruled him out for several months. What made his potential selection so extraordinary was that Norton could have earned his first Springbok cap before ever playing a senior provincial match. It would have been an almost unheard-of introduction to international rugby, but it also spoke volumes about how highly Rassie and his coaching staff rated the youngster following his performances in the training camps.

Admittedly, the circumstances surrounding Norton's initial inclusion were rather unusual. At the time, the Springboks were facing something of a crisis in the engine room, with Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman all sidelined through injury. That opened the door for Norton, who had impressed sufficiently behind the scenes to be considered despite his lack of senior experience. The situation has since improved considerably, with most of those established players returning to fitness, although RG remains sidelined and there are fresh concerns surrounding Eben following his early departure against the Stormers last weekend.

Nevertheless, there is every reason to believe that Norton remains firmly on Rassie's radar. He has now returned to fitness and has started gaining valuable senior experience with the Stormers in the URC, with Champions Cup rugby also providing another opportunity to test himself against quality opposition. The fact that he was considered good enough to play Test rugby before making his senior debut suggests that Rassie sees something special in him, and a few months on the sidelines are unlikely to have changed that assessment. With Italy awaiting the Boks in their opening November fixture, there could be an ideal opportunity to finally hand Norton the Test debut that injury denied him in July.

The third name on my list is perhaps the biggest surprise, but also one of the most exciting prospects in South African rugby at present. Luan Giliomee has wasted little time making an impression, and at just 19 years old, the young fullback could find himself entering the Springbok conversation much sooner than many expected.

Giliomee was already part of the expanded Springbok training squad ahead of the July internationals and subsequently started at fullback for the South African A side against Zimbabwe.

Since then, he has made his senior breakthrough with the Sharks, featuring in their opening two URC fixtures and earning Man of the Match honors in the first. His attacking flair has been particularly impressive, with an ability to identify space, attack the defensive line and create opportunities from the back. Perhaps more encouraging, however, has been the patience and maturity he has displayed defensively, something that isn't always associated with a player so young and naturally attack-minded.

His early-season progress has also taken an interesting turn. After just two rounds with the Sharks, Giliomee made the move to Pretoria to join the Bulls, missing the third round of the URC in the process. While changing teams so early in a season might seem an unusual decision, the opportunity to develop his game alongside Springbok Test centurion Willie le Roux could prove invaluable. Few players understand the tactical demands of the fullback position quite like Willie, and the chance to learn from someone with his vision, experience and understanding of space could accelerate Giliomee's development enormously. His inclusion in the Bulls' Champions Cup squad should also provide opportunities to gain further experience at a higher level.

More importantly, however, there is a genuine argument that the Springboks need to start developing additional depth at fullback. Damian Willemse is currently the only truly established option at 15, and while Aphelele Fassi has demonstrated his quality in the past, there is no denying that his recent form has been a concern. Willie remains an experienced option, but at this stage of his career, the Springboks also need to be thinking about what comes next. Giliomee might not yet be ready to command a regular place in the matchday squad, but that doesn't mean he couldn't benefit enormously from being brought into the environment now.

If Rassie is serious about building depth ahead of the World Cup, there is a compelling case for giving the youngster an opportunity sooner rather than later. Nobody is suggesting that he should suddenly replace Willemse or that Fassi should be discarded, but international depth isn't developed overnight. It takes exposure, experience and opportunities, and with Italy first up in November, perhaps this is the perfect time to find out just how far along Giliomee really is.

Of course, there are a couple of other players who deserve a mention, even if a November call-up might be a stretch too far at this stage. The Lions' Erich Cronjé is one such player, having already caught the attention of the Springbok coaching staff sufficiently to earn an invitation to train with the squad during Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. Cronjé has demonstrated the sort of relentless work rate, tenacity and willingness to get involved that Rassie values in his outside backs. He might not always attract the headlines that some of the more explosive attacking players do, but his contributions across the field have been difficult to ignore. With Jaco Williams also pushing for recognition, there could be an interesting battle developing for an opportunity in the Springbok outside-back stocks.

Then there is Ethan Adams, another young Lions player who looks to have an exciting future ahead of him. The inside centre is an imposing physical presence, combining an enormous frame with surprising pace and the ability to get over the advantage line. He certainly possesses the raw attributes to become a serious contender for higher honors, but his biggest obstacle at present might simply be the quality of the players ahead of him. With Damian de Allende and André Esterhuizen established at inside centre, and both Damian Willemse and Handré Pollard capable of providing cover in the position, there isn't exactly a shortage of options available to Rassie. Adams may therefore have to be patient, but if his development continues on its current trajectory, he could become a very interesting prospect in the years ahead.

None of these players are guaranteed a place in the November squad, and there will certainly be some difficult decisions for Rassie to make. The Springboks are chasing another trophy, and facing France and Ireland away from home is hardly the ideal environment for wholesale experimentation. But if the past few years have taught us anything, it's that Rassie has an eye for identifying players who can offer something different, often long before the rest of us consider them genuine international prospects.

Dayimani brings experience, explosive pace and a newly developed physical edge. Norton offers enormous potential in a position where the Springboks will eventually need to replace some of their most decorated players. Giliomee, meanwhile, represents an opportunity to start building genuine depth at fullback before the World Cup arrives. Three very different players, at three very different stages of their careers, but all with a compelling case for inclusion.

And with the World Cup now firmly on the horizon, perhaps November isn't just about which established Springboks Rassie decides to take north. It might also be about which new names he decides to bring along for the ride.