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Manie Libbok has been called up for national duty ahead of the Boks’ European tour. Picture: ASHLEY VLOTMAN/GALLO IMAGES
Manie Libbok has been called up for national duty ahead of the Boks’ European tour. Picture: ASHLEY VLOTMAN/GALLO IMAGES

Injuries have resulted in new players being added to the mix ahead of SA naming Springboks Test and SA A squads for their European tour, which kicks off against Ireland in Dublin on November 5.

Stormers stars Manie Libbok, Sacha Mngomezulu and Evan Roos will join the Springbok training camp in Stellenbosch on their return from Wales after a United Rugby Championship tour.

They were called up after Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen and Elrigh Louw were forced out of the camp in Stellenbosch by injury.

Goosen is in the return-to-training stages after suffering a concussion, while Louw suffered an ankle injury during Friday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash against Benetton.

Libbok, Mngomezulu and Roos will have a few days off before returning to Stormers’ training on Wednesday, which resulted in Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber and SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus inviting them to the camp.

The coaches will name the squads on Friday for the year-end tour consisting of four Tests and two-midweek matches.

The Boks will play consecutive Tests against Ireland in Dublin on November 5, France in Marseille on November 12, Italy in Genoa on November 19 and England in London on November 26 on the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour.

The SA A team, coached by Mzwandile Stick, will face Munster on November 19 and the Bristol Bears on November 17.

“We are naming a group of 54 player ... for the Springbok and SA A squads, so it made sense for us to invite these players, especially since they will be in Cape Town anyway and have time off,” Erasmus said.

“Evan is a capped Springbok, while Manie and Sacha will be exposed to the national set-up for the first time, and though it is a short camp, this will be an invaluable experience for them.

“We are excited to see how they slot into the system and what they can do on the field.

“Johan is recovering from a concussion, and given the strict return-to-play protocols, he will not be able to participate fully in this camp.

“Hence we decided it would be best for him to remain at the Bulls this week and start preparing for their URC game on Sunday.

“Fortunately, he attended our alignment camp earlier in the year and he knows our structures and systems well.

“It’s a pity that Elrigh is injured but he has been with us for a while and is very familiar with our structures, and we’ll keep an eye on the extent of his injury, though it doesn’t appear that he will be available for selection.”

The training squad assembled at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport on Sunday, with the three-day camp running until Wednesday

Training squad:

Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe (both DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks), Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers). Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Sbu Nkosi (Vodacom Bulls), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Sacha Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) and Evan Roos DHL (Stormers).

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