AUDIO: Springboks' tranquil island training camp explained
AUDIO: Imagine a tranquil island surrounded by untouched bays, towering cliffs, and turquoise waters – the perfect holiday getaway. Then imagine the best team in the world having a week-long training camp there.
The Springboks arrived in Jersey on Monday to prepare for their Outgoing Tour.
As Jersey is not a well-known sporting destination we decided to go in search of some answers as to why Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and his management decided on this small island.
The British royals often Jersey, it has been on the TV show The Apprentice, a haven for art lovers, with a rich cultural heritage and its Geosites date back 250,000 years.
Based on the Channel Island between England and France it is the perfect stop-over for the Springboks ahead of their November internationals.
The Rugby Championship title holders face Scotland in Edinburgh (Sunday, November 10), England in London (Saturday, November 16) and Wales in Cardiff (Saturday, November 23) on their traditional end-of-year tour.
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Andy Edwards, the Springboks’ head of athletic performance, was excited about the training camp on the scenic island, and said it was the perfect destination to get the team’s preparations going ahead of what is set to be a tough tour against three fresh opponents.
“With us being in Jersey, which is close to the UK, it will certainly make the transition easier for the players ahead of the November tour.”
“Jersey has everything we need, and it’s close to the UK, especially with us heading to Scotland next, so there won’t be concerns around long-haul travel going into the first Test, which is a big positive.
A brand new first stop on the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour ✅#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/y2jO78eohS
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 28, 2024
“It’s also a small island and gives us an opportunity to experience something different.
“I don’t think anyone in this group has been to Jersey before, and over and above that, they have world-class facilities that are only a few years old, which ticks all the boxes for our high-performance needs with a great gym and fields.
“The L’Horizon Hotel (where the Boks are based) looks out onto the ocean, so from a team perspective we can push hard in terms of rugby intensity, while also achieving the balance of downtime and social cohesion before the Tests.”
Edwards added: “With some guys having been in the UK with their United Rugby Championship teams, they have already acclimatised to the weather conditions in the northern hemisphere, but for the players who have been in South Africa, it’s good to get them used to the conditions here.”
The tiny island is only eight 8 kilometres long and 14.5 kilometres wide and sits in the Bay of St Malo, 22 kilometres from the French coast and 137 kilometres south of the English coast. And it is the biggest of the Channel Islands.
Jersey boasts a maritime landscape that bears the aftermath of World War II bunkers, majestic castles, historic lighthouses and shattered ruins on sheer cliffs.
The Springboks will be surrounded by miles of winding country paths that lead to wide untouched bays, bound by towering cliffs and circled by turquoise waters.
As the World Cup championships descend on the small island, it is set to become a haven for lovers of the sport, with the team’s pre-tour training camp stationed at the cutting-edge Strive Health Club, and their on-field training sessions taking place at the Jersey Rugby Football Club.
The team will engage with the local community, host a youth rugby camp, and an open training session, support a local charity by hosting a gala dinner, and explore the island to help promote Jersey as a top destination for visitors and sports lovers.
Jersey has been promoting the Boks’ visit for months ahead of time, as their Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel explains: “There are significant South African expat communities in Jersey, France, and the UK, and many business connections with South Africa, and I am confident that the impact of hosting this world-class squad will go well beyond rugby.”
Following their stay, the team will head to Edinburgh to play Scotland in the first match of their tour.
