Big names in Boks alignment camp

SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has named a strong 26-man squad for the Springboks alignment camp.

Frans Steyn, Cobus Reinach, Marcell Coetzee and Rynardt Elstadt have been included in the squad.

The 26 players gathered in Pretoria on Sunday for the next instalment of the national alignment and conditioning camps as the Springboks continue with their preparations for the forthcoming international season.

Montpellier-based Steyn, Ulster flank Coetzee and Northampton Saints scrumhalf Reinach, who have a remarkable season for their respective clubs have all been recalled.

While, Elstadt, who won the French Top 14 title with Toulouse, has earned his first call-up to a Springbok camp.

Players from the Bulls and Sharks who took part in the weekend’s Super Rugby quarter-final matches will join the camp from next Monday.

The Springboks kick off their shortened campaign on July 20 against the Wallabies in Johannesburg and that match will be followed a week later by the keenly awaited rematch with New Zealand in Wellington, the scene of last year’s epic away win over against the All Blacks.

The Boks conclude their official campaign against Argentina two weeks later, on August 10 in Salta, while the same two teams are set to meet again a week later in Pretoria in a once-off Test before the Boks report for Rugby World Cup training duty.

South Africa squad:

Forwards:

Schalk Brits (Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (Ulster, Ireland), Lood de Jager (Bulls), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), Rynardt Elstadt (Toulouse, France), Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Lions), Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Gloucester, England), Marvin Orie (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Lions).

Backs:

Damian de Allende (Stormers), Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks, England), Aphiwe Dyantyi (Lions), Elton Jantjies (Lions), Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse, France), Dillyn Lleyds (Stormers), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz, Japan), Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints, England), Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France).

A group of 26 players have gathered in Pretoria for the start of the Springbok training camp.
Click here to check out the group:https://t.co/H1NUu2TcIU pic.twitter.com/O8Z8giyrjY

— Springboks (@Springboks) June 23, 2019