13 players have been added to the Springboks alignment camp on Friday which includes the likes of Duane Vermeulen, Handre Pollard Lukhanyo Am, Sibusiso Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi. Francois Louw has also received a call-up.
A SA Rugby press release also confirmed that it was due to injuries that Ruan Botha (foot surgery), Dan du Preez (rib fracture), Warren Whiteley (knee surgery), Damian Willemse (knee surgery) and Jan Serfontein (ankle surgery) have not been considered for the camp.
This indicates that the five players are not out of the selection frame just yet but will need to prove their fitness and form quickly if they are to get an outside chance of travelling to Japan for the World Cup.
SA Director of Rugby and head coach Rassie Erasmus also provided an injury update on the players currently in the camp.
Kwagga Smith has recovered from his hamstring strain and was cleared to return to training, which meant that we were able to have 25 players available for our daily field training sessions” Erasmus said. “Our captain, Siya Kolisi, is continuing with his rehabilitation and the aim is to have him ready in time for the start of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.”
The Springboks will get their season underway on 20 July in Johannesburg when they face Australia in the shortened version of the Rugby Championship.
The Springbok training group now consist of the following players (new additions marked in bold):
Forwards:
Schalk Brits (Vodacom Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (Ulster, Ireland), Lood de Jager (Vodacom Bulls), Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers), Rynardt Elstadt (Toulouse, France), Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), Lizo Gqoboka (Vodacom Bulls), Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), Siya Kolisi (DHL Stormers), Francois Louw (Bath), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Emirates Lions), Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers), Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), Franco Mostert (Gloucester, England), Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), Marvin Orie (Emirates Lions), Kwagga Smith (Emirates Lions), RG Snyman (Vodacom Bulls), Duane Vermeulen (Vodacom Bulls).
Backs:
Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks), Damian de Allende (DHL Stormers), Andre Esterhuizen (Cell C Sharks), Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks, England), Aphiwe Dyantyi (Emirates Lions), Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Bulls), Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse, France), Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), Dillyn Lleyds (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), Sibusiso Nkosi (Cell C Sharks), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz, Japan), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints, England), Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France).
