Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he’s pleased about the team’s recent second alignment camp held in Cape Town, ahead of the international season.
The two-day camp featured a series of boardroom sessions and an optional gym session, while a bunch of overseas-based players joined the boardroom sessions virtually.
The players also participated in a series of Outfox virtual training sessions to familiarise themselves with the new structures.
Erasmus and the Springbok assistant coaches made a series of presentations to both locally based and overseas-based players during the sessions.
The world champions will start the season in a month’s time against the Barbarians in Cape Town, and Erasmus said the team is eager to resume the season.
“We are fast approaching the international season, and although most of the players have big matches lined up in their respective competitions before we assemble at our training camp in June, we were pleased with what transpired at the first and second alignment camps, and we believe we are on the right track in terms of our preparations and planning for the season.
The coaches have been working tirelessly to improve our structures to ensure that we can improve on our performances last season, and it was great to see how the players responded to the adaptations and changes we have made to our structures,” said Erasmus.
He cautioned that despite dominating the last season, there’s no room for complacency.
“We have said time and time again that we have to continue to evolve to remain a force at the top level of the game, and although we are under no illusions about the challenging season ahead, we are pleased with the progress we have been making off the field, and we are really looking forward to the season ahead,” explained Erasmus.
England-based Vincent Tshituka, Ntokozo Makhaza, and Juarno Augustus, are some of the players who tuned in virtually, and the coach said he was pleased to see the enthusiasm among the new players in the group.
Erasmus is confident that the players’ experience in England would benefit them immensely to grow even further in their careers.
“They are all very talented players, and it was evident how proud they were to have this opportunity to rub shoulders with this group of players, some of whom have been with us since 2018, and to learn from them and the coaches.
“It was also fantastic to see how they interacted with the more experienced players and tried to learn from them, and the coaches in their respective departments,” remarked the coach.
Erasmus is expected to announce the squad for the June training camp in the next few weeks, in preparations for the Barbarians match, the Castle Lager Incoming Series, the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, and the traditional end-of-the-year tour.
