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Springboks back together ahead of massive international season
A number of injured players have been included in the squad, with team management hopeful of their return to action ahead of the World Cup.
Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth are two of the Springbok players included in the squad for their pre-season camp in Pretoria despite being injured. Picture: Alex Broadway/Gallo Images
The entire Springbok squad is back together again for the first time since they closed off the 2022 international season with a resounding 27-13 win over England at Twickenham on their end of year tour.
The players arrived in Pretoria on Monday for their pre-season camp, ahead of a huge international season that includes the Rugby Championship in July and the World Cup in September and October.
The Boks and the team’s management haven’t been slacking, however, and have already conducted a number of alignment and training camps over the year so far. But those included only the South African based players initially, while the Japanese based players took part in the two most recent camps.
Now the entire squad has come together, with the UK and France based players joining for the first time, although Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch and Jean-Luc du Preez will join only at a later stage due to ongoing club commitments and personal circumstances.
Injured players
A number of injured players have also been included in the squad with the management hopeful of their return to action ahead of the World Cup.
Bok captain Siya Kolisi is the biggest worry on the injury front, but both Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus believe he can recover in time for the showpiece event.
Eben Etzebeth and Jaden Hendrikse are both expected to return to action during the Rugby Championship.
The Boks are also waiting for confirmation from World Rugby on whether South African born and bred Irish international Jean Kleyn can join up with the squad as its 41st member, with a decision on that expected soon.
READ MORE: The Boks have every right to pick Jean Kleyn, but was it necessary?
The Boks will be keen to build up some momentum heading into the World Cup and they will want to do that during the Rugby Championship, as they did in 2019 when they won their last title.
On that occasion they went unbeaten through the Southern Hemisphere tournament, beating the Wallabies and Argentina, while drawing against the All Blacks, and going on to lift their third World Cup title later that year in Japan.
This time round they have home ground advantage against the Aussies and Argentina in the Rugby Championship, with games on the Highveld at Loftus and Ellis Park, while they travel to New Zealand for their clash against the All Blacks.
