South Africa’s Springboks Prepare for New Season with Alignment Camp in Cape Town
Cape Town, 17 May 2023 – The world champion Springboks are gearing up for the upcoming international season, with their second in-person alignment camp set to commence in Cape Town on Wednesday. This gathering of 38 players comes just a month before their first test against Wales in London on June 22.
The Springboks had previously hosted an alignment camp in March, followed by several online sessions with locally based and overseas players, replacing an initial plan for an in-person camp in early May due to player commitments with northern hemisphere clubs.
Notably, the Sharks players, who are competing in the EPCR Challenge Cup final against Gloucester in London on Friday, have been excused from this week’s two-day camp.
“We are moving into a new cycle as a group as our first Test is only a few weeks away, so it is vital that we start diving deeper into our on-field planning.” – Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus
The coach added that the camp would allow the coaches and players to align on the team’s objectives and approach for the season, which includes a challenging schedule. This includes the test against Wales, which falls outside the international window, followed by two tests against Ireland, the second-ranked team in the world, and a first-ever test against Portugal.
The Springboks will then embark on the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, with away tests against Australia and home matches against New Zealand and Argentina. Their Castle Lager Outgoing Tour will also see them face Scotland, England, and Wales.
Erasmus stressed the importance of the team being aligned as a group, saying, “the sooner we are aligned as a group, the better” as they prepare for the demanding season ahead.
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