AXED FROM BOK TRAINING CAMP
Bosch among five young guns named
LIONS scrumhalf Faf de Klerk appears to be the highest profile casualty of coach Allister Coetzee’s second season at the helm of the Springboks after he was omitted from a training squad named yesterday.
Sharks players who were not considered for the first training camp last month because of Super Rugby duty were included in the group for the camp‚ which will be held in Stellenbosch from April 2 to 4.
Sharks flyhalf sensation Curwin Bosch has been included in the 41-member group along with scrumhalf Cobus Reinach‚ who missed all of last season with a knee injury.
Coetzee’s decision to overlook De Klerk for this camp is a strong indication that the Lions scrumhalf is unlikely to feature for the Boks against France in June.
De Klerk has struggled to make the transition to test rugby after proving himself a capable Super Rugby player, although he was dropped from the Lions’ starting team earlier this season.
Springbok selectors invited a group of 13 Sharks players‚ 10 each from the Lions and Stormers as well as eight Cheetahs players to the three-day camp.
There are no players from the Bulls or the Southern Kings in the latest training group as these two franchises are in action abroad.
As with the first camp‚ there are also no overseas-based players included among the squad‚ adhering to World Rugby regulations.
Lock Franco Mostert is not available for the camp as his wife is due to give birth.
Other exciting inclusions are Cheetahs flyhalf Fred Zeilinga‚ Sharks centre Lukhanyo Am and Stormers wing/fullback Dillyn Leyds.
Injured Springboks Pat Lambie‚ Uzair Cassiem and Ruan Combrinck have been invited to the camp‚ but other injured players such as Damian de Allende and Jean-Luc du Plessis (both Stormers)‚ who made the trip to the previous camp in Johannesburg‚ are not required to do so again.
Included among the 41 players are five young guns‚ players all under the age of 23 years who have been earmarked as potential future Springboks.
They are Ox Nche (prop‚ Cheetahs)‚ Wilco Louw (prop‚ Stormers)‚ Ruan Ackermann (loose forward‚ Lions)‚ EW Viljoen (centre‚ Stormers) and Bosch (flyhalf‚ Sharks).
“The first camp was very successful and we managed to cover a lot of our planning and training plans with the group that assembled in Johannesburg‚” Coetzee said.
“We aim to do the same in Stellenbosch.”
With a third camp planned for May‚ there is still time for players to catch the attention of the selectors.
“There is still one more camp to follow after Stellenbosch‚ so we will keep the door open for players who perform in Super Rugby,” Coetzee said.
“The camp provides another opportunity for us to cast the net wider and also to have a closer look at certain positions.
“There are a couple of new faces in this group who have shown consistently good form.
“I also want to thank our franchise and conditioning coaches for their continued collaboration and support.”
During their stay in Stellenbosch the group will undergo medical and conditioning assessments‚ attend gym and undertake field training sessions.