20 Springboks contracted by the SA Rugby Union (SARU) will take part in a training camp in Stellenbosch from October 20 to 24, the union announced on Sunday.
The camp forms part of the team’s preparations ahead of the Outgoing Tour next month.
“The Springboks are our first priority and the provinces have been very supportive, which we’re very thankful for,” SARU chief executive officer Jurie Roux said.
Sport24
The decision to invite the contracted players to the camp was taken in agreement with the provinces. This was done in line with a request from SARU to the provinces regarding the use of nationally contracted players in the Currie Cup.
“Following the agreement between SARU and the provinces, the contracted Springboks will not be available for the final round of pool matches as well as the Currie Cup play-off rounds.
“While it was impossible to put a blanket ban across all contracted Springboks to play for their provinces, the players utilised in the Rugby Championship were managed on an individual basis and released to play in the Currie Cup as the necessity arose.
“Most of them didn’t play any part in the Currie Cup but there were a couple of cases where players were released and that was done with the agreement and buy-in of all the provinces and SARU.”
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said he was grateful to the provinces for allowing the release of the players for the Stellenbosch camp.
“This week will allow us to work intensely with the core of the squad for the tour in November, which will be a very tough outing with less than a year to go to the Rugby World Cup,” Meyer said.
“The provinces have been very helpful in managing our players and we’d like to thank them for that. This camp will not only provide us with an opportunity to work on conditioning and on-field matters, but also to work with injured players such as Siya Kolisi, Willem Alberts and Flip van der Merwe.”
The players and management would gather at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport on October 20 and remain there until October 24.
The 36-man touring squad for the Rugby Championship will be announced on October 26 and they will get together in Johannesburg for a pre-departure camp on October 29 before leaving for Dublin on November 1.
The Springboks’ end-of-year tour itinerary includes Tests against Ireland in Dublin (November 8), England in London (November 15), Italy in Padova (November 22) and Wales in Cardiff (November 29).
“The match against Wales falls outside the IRB Test window so our overseas-based players will not be available for that match, which will provide a good test for our depth in South Africa and I’m excited to see what a number of our younger players can do in the Millennium Stadium,” said Meyer.
Four players, Damian de Allende, Cornal Hendricks, Victor Matfield and Jan Serfontein, were added to the list of contracted players during the international season.
All the non-contracted Springboks who featured in the Rugby Championship are available to their provinces for the rest of the Currie Cup.
The contracted Springboks are:
Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee, Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, JJ Engelbrecht, Eben Etzebeth, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Siya Kolisi, Patrick Lambie, Willie le Roux, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jan Serfontein, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe and Duane Vermeulen.
So the Bulls will get Pollard back, but strictly speaking shouldn’t be playing JJ then?
Pollard will definitely make a positive difference, and so will the absence of JJ for that matter
@ nortie:
Must be a mistake? Meyer investing a lot in Pollard, why would they not contract him?
JJ will play, Coenie, Kolisi is also playing/played.
This will be great news for the Bulls if JJ joins up for the Springboks
2 @ MacroBok:
Kolisi will be out for a while I think, he did in both his knees.
I’m also surprised that they didn’t offer Pollard a contract, if they did it with Victor then surely they should have done it with him? He is a long term investment as well
“The match against Wales falls outside the IRB Test window”
Two tests in one year outside the test window? really? why?
So the Bulls get Marcel and Pollard back and lose JJ.
Are the Blue Bulls one of the favorites now?
It is funny that Damien has not played for weeks but wont be released, as well as Patrick who has had limited game time as it is.
Reinach will play against the PW next week as predicted.
@ MacroBok:
Why do we play Wales so often in any case?
Is there some sort of hidden secret handshake arrangement?
Eben needs game time IMO.
He should have first played some CC games before being thrown straight into the tests.
It’s like he has lost a yard and a bit of his hard edge.
He is still sterkgevreet in the off the ball stuff, but doesn’t make any impact while the ball is in play
@ nortie:
Third time this year lol
Was this last game added to the tour?
Looks like England play Aus outside the same test window.
No other “top tier” country seems to be available on that weekend.
We get Damian De Allende back which is a great win for us.
@ Stormersboy:
So some contracted boks are released? this is confusing.
@ Stormersboy:
According to the report Damian was added to the contracted group, so that means he is not available, or am I missing something?
@ MacroBok:
Is that the same weekend as the Barbarian match?
Very confusing this itinerary
@ nortie:
Barbariand vs Aus is in week 1. 1 November
Aus playing 6 games
FS get Oupa back, after his 2 games HM can offer him a contract as well, he has earned it.
Lood will also be available, but Cheetahs won’t make top 4, so doesn’t really matter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_end-of-year_rugby_union_internationals#Week_5
Aus have a tough tour ahead
NZ
Barbs
Wales
France
Ireland
England
16 @ MacroBok:
Dit gaan n riller wees om SuperBru picks te maak, n paar snaakse games, en dan is die bleddie Franse en Argentyne ook betrokke met daai “anything can happen” tipe wedstryde
@ nortie:
Sorry missed that part 😉
Stormersboy wrote:
You PW okes already stressing for your semi vs the Bullie Boys?
MacroBok wrote:
LOL not yet, but we are starting to pick up some injuries in some crucial areas like loose forward and lock, which is a real concern….
MacroBok wrote:
Nee wat, remember the last time Pollard played at Newlands against the Strompies?
Easy meat 😆
@ Stormersboy:
I think your backline have done good enough to keep the continuity going, good thing though for the Boks that Duane wont play because most definitely would have.
22 @ nortie:
haha i missed the game, I have no idea what you are on about
MacroBok wrote:
23 @ MacroBok:
Duane is half man, half machine……he will be back
@ nortie:
I only remember the game at loftus that we won 28-12.
26 @ nortie:
Twee ponados en vat sommer heel week af.
MacroBok wrote:
En n paar druppels Q20
Ha ha, voorgeskryf deur Doc Jannie
@ nortie:
Hier teen die CC semi final gaan Duane nog voltaren inspuitings ook moet vat
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