Libbok, Nkosi, Roos part of group invited to Springbok camp

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has invited eight new players to an alignment camp in Stellenbosch this weekend.

This follows the departure from the camp of 14 players, among them Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, who have spent the last three weeks in the Western Cape ahead of the international season.

The camps are part of the Springboks’ preparations for the season, which includes the World Cup in France in September and October.

Invited players

The newcomers to the camp on Saturday are Joseph Dweba (hooker), Deon Fourie (utility forward), Marco van Staden (flanker), Evan Roos (No 8), Herschel Jantjies and Grant Williams (scrumhalves), Manie Libbok (flyhalf) and Sbu Nkosi (wing).

They will all be involved in two days of off-field sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

“We’ve planned to host alignment sessions – some in person such as at these two camps, and others online with the overseas-based players – to ensure that everyone is on the same page in terms of what is expected of them, where we are as a team and the areas of our game that we would like to improve,” said Nienaber on Friday.

Rugby World Cup

“With the players we are actively tracking being scattered around the country and the world, it means we need to be innovative in the way we interact with them.

“But the most important factor is that we have regular communication with them as we work toward the Rugby World Cup.

“The players attending the sessions over the weekend have been participating in the United Rugby Championship, so we are pleased to get this opportunity to work with them face-to-face.”

The Springboks kick off the 2023 international season against Australia in Pretoria on Saturday, 8 July, in the opening round of the shortened Rugby Championship, which will be followed by clashes against New Zealand at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland a week later, and Argentina in Johannesburg on Saturday, 29 July.

In August, the Boks will travel to Buenos Aires to take on the Pumas before facing Wales and the All Blacks in Rugby World Cup warm-up matches in Cardiff and London in the final build-up to the World Cup.

South Africa will launch their Rugby World Cup title defence on Sunday, 10 September, against Scotland in Marseille, which will be followed by pool matches against Romania in Bordeaux (17 September), Ireland in Paris (23 September) and Tonga in Marseille (1 October).

The Rugby World Cup quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of 14/15 October, with the semi-finals on 20/21 October and the final on Saturday, 28 October.

Nienaber will announce the Rugby World Cup squad on Tuesday, 8 August.