Springboks to do final brush ups ahead of international season

The Springboks are set to get their final bit of preparation ahead of the international season underway on Thursday when they link up for their second and final alignment camp in Cape Town.

The two-day camp will see 54 players, 36 in person and 18 from Japan and Europe online, attending a series of boardroom sessions as the Boks gear up for a busy international campaign that kicks off against the Barbarians in the Mother City at the end of next month.

Most of the players attending this alignment camp, as well as a number of others not selected, will likely feature for the Boks during the incoming series against Italy and Georgia, the Rugby Championship and end-of-year-tour to the UK and Europe.

There are three first-time invitees to a camp, with the Sharks’ Congolese-born Vincent Tshituka, who recently received his South African ID clearing his illegibility, being rewarded for a stellar season with his call-up.

Juarno Augustus has finally received what many will feel is a long overdue call-up, having impressed immensely for Northampton Saints over the years, and with him moving to Ulster from next season he will be firmly on the Bok management’s watch list in the URC going forward.

Surprise selection

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus is well known for his surprise selections, and the big one for the second camp was that of Ntokozo Makhaza, who enjoyed a superb Varsity Cup campaign leading UCT Ikeys to the title and being named player of the tournament.

But the 23-year-old Makhaza has yet to play rugby professionally, with him having signed for the Cheetahs ahead of this year’s Currie Cup kicking off in July, which will be his first taste of professional rugby.

Other than the three new invites, five other players attending the camp are uncapped, namely Lions players Renzo du Plessis and Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Stormers prop Neethling Fouche, Bulls utility forward Cobus Wiese, and hooker Marnus van der Merwe who has been impressing for Scarlets.

A number of these players are likely to get a golden chance to make their Bok debut in the incoming series in July, as the Bok management could give a large number of fringe players a chance against the Italians and Georgians.

Players who have been out of the Bok setup for over a year will also be in the mix, with Lood de Jager and Faf de Klerk, who both missed the entirety of last season through injury, and Jean-Luc du Preez, who has struggled to establish himself over the years, back on the radar.