41-man Springbok extended training squad named
JOBURG – A 41-man strong Springbok squad will continue with preparations in the second of three training camps in Stellenbosch ahead of a testing international rugby season that starts in June.
The 41-man strong extended Springbok training squad is set to converge from 2 to 4 April in Stellenbosch for the second of three Springbok training camps ahead of three Castle Lager Incoming Series matches against France in June.
Experienced prop Beast Mtawarira, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and promising utility back Curwin Bosch are part of a large contingent of Cell C Sharks players included. Bok management outlined that the non-inclusion of Durban-based players for the first training camp, held in Joburg last month, was due to overseas travel commitments at the start of the Vodacom Super Rugby competition.
The second training camp – part of the Springboks’ preparation plans for the forthcoming international season, including the Castle Lager Rugby Championship that gets underway in August – will take place at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.
The Springbok selectors invited a group of 13 Sharks players, 10 each from the Lions and Stormers as well as eight Cheetahs players to the three-day camp. Bulls and Southern Kings players will not feature in the latest training group as they are engaged in franchise rugby matches abroad.
As with the first camp, there are also no overseas-based players included in the training squad, a move seen as adhering to world rugby regulations. Lions lock Franco Mostert is unavailable for the camp as his wife is due to give birth to their first child.
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Injured Springboks Pat Lambie, Uzair Cassiem and Ruan Combrinck have been invited to the camp, however, injured players Damian de Allende and Jean-Luc du Plessis who made the trip to the previous camp in Joburg, are not required to do so.
Also included in the squad are five players under the age of 23, earmarked as potential future Springboks. They are Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Ruan Ackermann, EW Viljoen and Curwin Bosch. Bok coach, Allister Coetzee said he and his coaching staff were looking forward to continued preparation work with the extended training squad.
“The first camp was very successful and we managed to cover a lot of our planning and training plans with the group that assembled in Johannesburg. We aim to do the same in Stellenbosch,” said Coetzee.
Speaking about the third camp in May, Coetzee stressed that there was still time for players to catch the attention of selectors. “There is still one more camp to follow after Stellenbosch, so we will keep the door open for players who perform in Vodacom Super Rugby.
“The camp provides another opportunity for us to cast the net wider and also to have a closer look at certain positions. There are a couple of new faces in this group who have shown consistently good form. I also want to thank our franchise and conditioning coaches for their continued collaboration and support.”
Edited by Allan Robertson
