Cape Town — The first of two Springbok preparation camps for May is set to start this week in Durban as the World Champions get ready for the international rugby season in the southern hemisphere.
Fifteen players — that excludes the Stormers players who are playing in the United Rugby Championship (URC) final in two weeks — will join Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber and his assistants for the camps, with some of the defending URC champions that could join after their URC final against Munster.
Nienaber wants to bring the rest of the players who were not part of the camps in February and March up to date with the Springboks' planning, both on- and off-field, ahead of the Rugby Championship and 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Fourteen Springboks joined the Bok coaches earlier this year in Cape Town and Stellenbosch, where the first set of preparation camps was held, but the number will expand to 15 and possibly more for the second camp (29-31 May) after the final of the URC.
Injured players like Bok captain Siya Kolisi (knee) and Eben Etzebeth (shoulder) will also attend the camp where the Springboks' medical staff can take a closer look at them and their progression. While Japan-based players, who have finished their club commitments, will also attend in Durban.
Kolisi only recently had his operation to repair his ACL, so it's highly unlikely that he will take part in any field sessions after they were put through their paces in the first camp.
But because he was part of the first two camps, he will be vital in carrying over the information and messages from the camps to the newly invited players.
The extended Springboks squad will only gather in Pretoria from 12-30 June where their preparation for the Rugby Championship will begin. The first Test is on 8 July against Australia, while they will play New Zealand (15 July in Auckland) and Argentina (29 July) in a truncated Championship.
The players attending the camps: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Jaden Hendrikse, Siya Kolisi, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Bongi Mbonambi, Canan Moodie, Ox Nche, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Grant Williams
IOL Sport