Sampie Swiegers has been invited to the Springboks' second alignment camp. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images.
No stranger to the unconventional, Rassie Erasmus has called up one of the 2023 Varsity Cup stars to attend the Springboks’ second alignment camp.
According to Sunday newspaper Rapport, former NWU Eagles captain Sampie Swiegers has been invited to attend the virtual alignment camp on 3 May.
The 25-year-old burly tighthead prop last year led the Eagles to their first Varsity Cup title since 2016 and emerged as the tournament’s strongest scrummager.
Swiegers has since joined the Pumas and is part of Jimmy Stonehouse’s squad for the ongoing SA Cup.
Erasmus is putting contingency plans in place for the opening Test of the year against Wales on 22 June.
The Test is scheduled on the same day as the Vodacom URC final and the Springboks are consequently planning to be without Bulls and Stormers, both playoff contenders.
Players based in Europe, the UK and Ireland will also not be considered, as the game falls outside the official Test window.
The Springboks are likely to miss all of Wilco Louw, Neethling Fouché, Frans Malherbe and Trevor Nyakane for the Test at Twickenham, and Erasmus appears to be making the most of the opportunity to cast his net wider.
This story was first published on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.
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