Rassie Erasmus says the Springboks got what they wanted out of their three-day training camp in Stellenbosch.
The camp, which ended on Wednesday, kicked off the preparations for the Boks and SA A’s year-end tours of Europe.
The Boks will play Ireland in Dublin (5 November), France in Marseille (12 November), Italy in Genoa (19 November) and England in London (26 November), while SA A will face Munster (10 November) and the Bristol Bears (17 November).
Both touring squads will be announced on Friday.
“It was a fantastic camp, and it offered the coaches an ideal opportunity to get the players to switch their focus to the Ireland Test next week and the forthcoming SA A matches,” said Erasmus.
“It was also valuable in the sense that it exposed new players such as Manie [Libbok] and Sacha [Mngomezulu] to our structures and to see them in action as we finalise the selections for the Springbok and SA A teams. It was pleasing to see their, and the rest of the training squad’s, enthusiasm.”
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The players, who will depart for Ireland on Saturday, will be withdrawn from their respective Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises this weekend, while the other players will be eligible for selection for the two local derbies.
Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber echoed Erasmus’ sentiments about the camp.
“It was beneficial in many ways as the players are back in Test mode, we had an opportunity to look at and discuss the opposition we’ll be facing on tour, and we had a golden opportunity to work with the SA A coaching team and expose them to the way we do things at the Springboks.
“There’s a huge sense of excitement within in the squad among the management and players, but we are under no illusions about the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead.”
SA A head coach Mzwandile Stick said they had put in some important groundwork ahead of the tour.
“We want to put together a strong team for what we know will be testing matches, and after seeing the training squad on the field and other players in action in their franchise and clubs competitions, I’m confident that we will be able to select a talented team featuring a good mix of youth and experience.
“The SA A games will not only serve the purpose of exposing the players – both those who are young and their more experienced counterparts – to top-class international club rugby less than a year out from the Rugby World Cup, it will also allow the national coaches to give a wider group of players valuable game time at this level with the international spectacle in mind.”
