Durban - Johan Goosen is the sole flyhalf named in a Springbok training squad announced for a three-day training camp in Stellenbosch ahead of next month’s tour of Europe.
The Bulls flyhalf will be put in cotton wool ahead of the tour as Handre Pollard won’t make it through injury, while Elton Jantjies continues to be persona non grata because of off-field misdemeanours.
Coach Jacques Nienaber will assemble here 26 players that include 17 South African-based players and nine who are currently based in Japan.
They will be in the camp until 26 October, with a few of the players set to return to their teams for United Rugby Championship duty a few days later.
Canan Moodie, who is nursing a hamstring injury, will join the camp to allow the Springbok medical team to assess the extent of his injury.
The Springboks will play four Tests on consecutive Saturdays next month – against Ireland in Dublin on 5 November, France in Marseille on 12 November, Italy in Genoa on 19 November and England in London on 26 November.
Jacques Nienaber on 10’s pic.twitter.com/BOv2sowwFj
— Hendrik Cronjé (@hendrikcronje71) October 18, 2022
The SA ‘A’ team, coached by Bok assistant Mzwandile Stick, will play two mid-week matches – against Munster on 10 November, and the Bristol Bears a week later on 17 November.
The Springbok and SA ‘A’ touring squads will be named on 28 October, with the Bok squad set to gather in Dublin on 30 October.
A further 20 SA ‘A’ players are set to depart for Ireland a week later on 5 November, to begin their preparations for the clash against Munster in Cork, where they will be joined by a few players from the initial 34-man touring squad for the two SA ‘A’ matches.
Nienaber is excited about the camp and said it would serve the dual purpose of giving the players some valuable training time after a few weeks of individual training programmes, while simultaneously getting the players back into the Springbok structures.
“We are departing for the year-end tour next week Saturday, so it is vital that we get the players back into our structures so that they are raring to go by the time we get to Ireland,” said Nienaber.
“There are some players who didn’t get much game time in the Rugby Championship and who will benefit immensely from the additional game time next week in the URC, while it is important for the Japanese-based players to get back to national training.
“It may be a short camp, but we have clear objectives, and we know what boxes we need to tick as we look forward to what is going to be a challenging year-end tour.
“We are facing the No 1 and No 2 teams in the world in Ireland and France, and then we line up against Italy and England, both of whom will test us to the limit, so the sooner we get into the swing of things, the better.”
Nienaber revealed that the Japan-based players have been granted permission to participate in the last Test of the tour against England, which falls outside of the international window.
The England and France-based players in the touring squad will be released to their respective clubs following the Italy Test.
Players invited to Stellenbosch training camp:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe (both Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks)
Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)
Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers)
Loose Forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
Utility Forwards: Deon Fourie (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks)
Flyhalf: Johan Goosen (Bulls)
Centres: Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights)
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Sbu Nkosi (Bulls)
Utility back: Damian Willemse (Stormers)
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