Three surprises from Springboks’ alignment camp squad

The Springboks are soon set to regroup, with a two-day alignment camp in March set to signify the team’s first gathering following their Rugby World Cup triumph in France in 2023.

The coaching team, led by double Rugby World Cup-winning coach Rassie Erasmus, will assemble in the Mother City on Monday 4 March, for two days where they will plot their plans for the 2024 season.

The group of 43 include 39 domestic players and four Japan-based players, who are currently injured and doing their rehabilitation in South Africa. The group will gather on Tuesday, 5 March for two days of boardroom sessions to get everyone up to speed on the way forward this season.

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Three surprises in Springboks’ alignment camp

Two in-form players miss out

With as many as 43 players selected for this first camp, it’s clear that Rassie Erasmus is casting his net wide as he opts to take a closer look at host of domestic players who have obviously caught his eye.

Keeping that in mind, it is surprising that Stormers loose forward Hacjivah Dayimani will not form part of this first camp despite displaying highly impressive form over the first half of the URC season.

It should be kept in mind that the inclusions for this first camp will have been carefully considered, and just because a player misses out now, it certainly doesn’t mean they won’t form part of the team’s plans for later in the season.

Dayimani is blessed with an abundance of talent, and there is a sense that this is still the season when the 26-year-old could throw his name into the Bok ring. Perhaps he will be involved in a camp at a later date, but one has to wonder what the reasoning is behind his current exclusion.

Similarly, Aphelele Fassi has shown some encouraging form for the Sharks, having clearly sought to work on certain areas of his game that could bring him back into the Springbok mix.

The talented fullback is another player who many would have expected to crack the nod for this first alignment camp, and he will now want to ensure he responds with a series of statement performances for the Sharks.

CONFIRMED: 43 players invited to Springboks’ alignment camp

Cheetahs hooker earns surprise call-up

One inclusion that many didn’t see coming was that of 26-year-old Marnus van der Merwe, who has largely flown under the radar.

Van der Merwe enjoyed a strong Currie Cup campaign last year as the Cheetahs went on to win the domestic title, and has also displayed some encouraging form in the Challenge Cup.

Van der Merwe’s incredibly accurate lineout throwing is likely to have also impressed the Springboks’ coaches, and although it’s unlikely the experienced hooker will remain part of the group when it is trimmed later on in the year, this is undoubtedly a stunning opportunity for the burly forward.

His inclusion also comes as Joseph Dweba – who was part of the World Cup standby list – has not been included in this first camp.

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Omission of Deon Fourie

Another standout takeaway from the squad announcement was the fact that Deon Fourie was missing from an otherwise extensive list of locally-based players.

It should be noted that this will mark the first of three alignment camps before the Springboks put the building blocks in place on the field for the international season, and so there is a chance that Fourie could still be called up later on.

Yet there is also a very real possibility that the Springboks may be rather keen to look at their ‘next gen’ options considering that Fourie will be 41-years-old at the next World Cup, with young uncapped hookers such as Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Andre-Hugo Venter cracking the nod.

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SQUAD FOR FIRST CAMP (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):

Forwards: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers), Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Celimpilo Gumede (Vodacom Bulls), Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Evan Roos (DHL Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls), Marnus van der Merwe (Toyota Cheetahs), Ruben van Heerden (DHL Stormers), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Ruan Venter (Emirates Lions), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Suleiman Hartzenberg (DHL Stormers), Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jordan Hendrikse (Emirates Lions), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions), Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Sanele Nohamba (Emirates Lions), Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions), Henco van Wyk (Emirates Lions), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers).

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