The national selectors have named the Springbok squad for the Tri Nations away matches against New Zealand and Australia.
South Africa will play New Zealand on 5 July in Wellington and 12 July in Dunedin before taking on the Wallabies in Perth on 19 July.
Odwa Ndungane, Andries Bekker, Ryan Kankowski , Beast Mtawarira, Brian Mujati and Luke Watson take part in their first Tri Nations tour to Australasia. JP Pietersen earns a recall to the squad after missing out on the first three tests of the season. Kankowski is included despite suffering a heavy concussion against Italy last week.
The biggest surprise is the omission of prop BJ Botha. Tonderai Chavhanga, Schalk Brits and Gcobani Bobo also miss out on a place in the squad.
The team departs on Thursday from the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
The full Springbok touring squad
Backs
Percy Montgomery
Conrad Jantjes
Bryan Habana
Odwa Ndungane
JP Pietersen
Jean de Villiers
Adrian Jacobs
Francois Steyn
Peter Grant
Butch James
Bolla Conradie
Ricky Januarie
Ruan Pienaar
Forwards
Ryan Kankowski
Pierre Spies
Joe van Niekerk
Juan Smith
Schalk Burger
Luke Watson
Andries Bekker
Bakkies Botha
Victor Matfield
Beast Mtawarira
Brian Mujati
Gurthro Steenkamp
CJ van der Linde
John Smit (captain)
Bismarck du Plessis
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