Springboks return to business with two preparation camps

The Springboks will assemble in Durban this month for two preparation camps to get their on-and-off-field structures in place for the 2023 international season.

The first camp will take place from May 17-19 with the second from May 29-31.

Fifteen players have been invited, but excludes Stormers players who are preparing for the United Rugby Championship semifinal this weekend.

The Boks will begin their official preparations for the Rugby Championship at a training camp in Pretoria from June 12-30, with the team slotting into Test-match mode the next week for their opening match of the southern hemisphere showpiece against Australia at Loftus Versfeld on July 8.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s charges will then leave for New Zealand for their second Test of the condensed version of the competition against the All Blacks at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland (July 15), before returning to SA for the closing match of the competition against Argentina in Johannesburg (July 29).

The composition of the squad for the camps will include 15 players from local URC teams — some of whom are recovering from injuries — and a few Japanese-based players who have also completed their club commitments.

Several other locally selected players might join after completing their URC commitments.

“With the United Rugby Championship nearing an end and the Rugby Championship around the corner we decided to host two camps to get the ball rolling and get everyone on the same page for the international season,” said Nienaber.

“The camps will include off and on-field sessions and offer us a great opportunity to get the building blocks in place for our first full-on training camp in June in preparation for the Rugby Championship in July.

“These camps will build on those we hosted in Cape Town and Stellenbosch at the end of February and March, which included locally based players.”

Nienaber added that with a little over four months to go before the World Cup kicks off, every day with the players counts.

“The Rugby Championship is around the corner, and then we have three warm-up games and the World Cup, so we have little time to get our plans in place and ensure we peak in performance to give us the best chance to defend our title in France.

“This is a crucial season, and it is imperative that we make important strides in each match we play and grow stronger together as team.”

Players invited to Springbok camps:

Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Jaden Hendrikse, Siya Kolisi (all Sharks), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi, Bongi Mbonambi (both Sharks), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Ox Nché (Sharks), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Grant Williams (Sharks).