Boks begin preparations for World Cup defence with three-week camp in Cape Town

The Springbok coaches and management have called up 14 players for a three-week physical and rugby development camp from Sunday until March 10 in Cape Town to start the 2023 season.

The camp will be the first activity of the year for the Boks as they begin preparations for the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France in September and October.

The 14 players, who will assemble in the Mother City on Sunday afternoon, are all players of national interest and who have been on a break from the United Rugby Championship (URC) over the last few weeks.

The camp will involve a series of off-field alignment sessions, as well as on-field training sessions to prepare the players for the remainder of the season from a rugby and physical perspective.

South African Rugby said the players will re-join their domestic franchises for the closing stages of the URC and Heineken Champions Cup competitions.

“We are thrilled to get this important season going albeit with a small group of players as we look forward to the Rugby World Cup in less than seven months,” said Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber.

“All of these players come off an important resting period, so the next three weeks will be crucial to ensure that they return to full-out rugby as effectively as possible and to get everyone aligned with our structures going into the World Cup year.

“Our first Rugby World Cup encounter against Scotland on Sunday, September 10, is approaching fast, so we have to make the most of each day we have with the players.”

Nienaber added: “Player management will be particularly important this season to get the squad to peak at the right time, while at the same time getting the desired results in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, our World Cup warm-up games and at the international showpiece as we attempt to defend our title.”

SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus echoed Nienaber’s sentiments. “This is a massive year for the team, and we can’t wait to get back into the swing of things with an eye on the World Cup.

“With the Vodacom URC on the go we only have a small bunch of players available to work with at this stage, but we know from past experience that every minute with the players on and off the field counts in a World Cup year.

“I would like to thank the franchises for their co-operation and assistance in ensuring that some of our key players could get the rest they needed physically and mentally as we enter this critical year for the team and the country.

“I would also like to thank MyPlayers for their role in making the break possible for the players.”

The Springboks will kick off a bumper 2023 season against Australia in Pretoria on July 8 in the opening round of the shortened Rugby Championship.

It will be followed by clashes against New Zealand at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland a week later and Argentina in Johannesburg on July 29 in their final match on home soil before the build-up to their Rugby World Cup defence starts.

In August, the Boks will travel to Buenos Aires to take on the Pumas before facing Wales and the All Blacks in Rugby World Cup warm-up matches in Cardiff and London in the final build-up to the global showpiece in France.

South Africa will launch their Rugby World Cup title defence on September 10, against Scotland in Marseille, which will be followed by pool matches against Romania in Bordeaux (September 17), Ireland in Paris (September 23) and Tonga in Marseille (October 1).

The Rugby World Cup quarterfinals will be played on the weekend of October 14/15, with the semifinals on October 20/21 and the final on Saturday, October 28.

Springbok 2023 fixtures:

Castle Lager Rugby Championship:

Saturday, July 8 — Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

Saturday, July 15 — Springboks vs New Zealand (Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland)

Saturday, July 29 — Springboks vs Argentina (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)

RWC warm-up fixtures:

Saturday, August 5 — Springboks v Argentina (Buenos Aires)

Saturday, August 19 — Springboks vs Wales (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)

Friday, August 25 — Springboks vs New Zealand (Twickenham, London)

RWC fixtures:

Sunday, September 10 — Springboks v Scotland (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

Sunday, September 17 — Springboks v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)

Saturday, September 23 — Springboks v Ireland (Stade de France, Paris)

Sunday, October 1 — Springboks v Tonga (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

Weekend of October 14/15 — Quarterfinals

Weekend of October 21/22 — Semifinals

Saturday, October 28 — Final