Rassie Erasmus has unveiled a 56-player Springbok squad for an alignment camp in Cape Town. Spanning three days, the camp will feature exclusively domestic players, as the coaching staff aims to strengthen team cohesion and unity.
A statement reads: “The Springboks will get the wheels in motion for the 2025 season when Rassie Erasmus and his management team host the first in-person coaches’ strategic session of the year followed by a three-day alignment camp with a group of 56 domestic players in Cape Town next month.
“Erasmus and his support staff will also host virtual alignment camps with the overseas-based players, a group of talented youngsters, and injured players plying their trade domestically, who were not invited to this camp, following the conclusion of this session.
“The coaches will assemble in the Mother City on March 7 for a three-day planning block for the challenging season ahead. The alignment camp, which is set to conclude on March 12, will comprise two gym sessions and a series of boardroom meetings to get the players up to speed on the requirements and expected standards for the season.
“The group includes 18 members of the 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning squad – 10 of which were also crowned champions at the 2019 RWC, and five of whom participated in the 2015 international extravaganza – with an additional 22 capped national players named in the group.
“A handful of players will get to work with the coaching staff once again after either being involved in previous alignment camps or the national set-up, as well as the South African A team. This group includes the likes of Celimpilo Gumede, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Henco van Wyk, while players such as Jurenzo Julius, JF van Heerden, and Reinhardt Ludwig will get their first taste of Springbok rugby.
“This will mark the first of three alignment camps as the Springboks lay the foundation for the international season which will see the world champions and Castle Lager Rugby Championship title holders face Italy in back-to-back Tests on July 5 and 12 followed by a clash against Georgia on July 19 in the Castle Lager Incoming Series.
“They will launch their title defence of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in August with successive matches against Australia in South Africa (on August 16 and 23) before travelling to New Zealand where they will face their arch-rivals, the All Blacks, in Auckland and Wellington (on September 6 and 13).
“The team will return to South Africa for a clash against Argentina (September 27) and will wrap up their campaign with the closing match of the 2025 edition of the southern hemisphere showpiece against Argentina at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in London (October 4). The venues of the domestic Test matches will be announced in due course.”
Erasmus added: “Our alignment camps have proven invaluable in the last few years as they offer us the opportunity to present our structures for the season, as well as the Springbok culture and way of doing things. The focus at this camp will be to get everyone on the same page for the 2025 season, which will be vital in laying a good foundation for us to build on with a challenging campaign coming up.
“Most of these players have formed part of our structures at some stage in the last seven years, and their experience and familiarity with the way we do things at the Springboks will be invaluable in guiding the younger players, while others have been exposed to our structures before, so they have a good understanding of the way we operate.
“I’m also excited for the new players in the mix, who have made their mark at franchise level, and we are excited to see them receive this opportunity to get a taste of what is expected of them at the highest level.”
Springboks alignment camp
Forwards (33):
Bulls (12): Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Wilco Louw, Reinhardt Ludwig, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker van der Merwe, JF van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese;
Sharks (9): Ethan Bester, Phepsi Buthelezi, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane;
Stormers (8): Ben-Jason Dixon, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter;
Lions (4): Renzo du Plessis, Francke Horn, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter.
Backs (23):
Sharks (9): Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams;
Stormers (5): Paul de Wet, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse
Bulls (5): Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier;
Lions (4): Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Henco van Wyk.
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