Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named a 40-man squad for the team’s second in-person alignment camp in Cape Town. The camp, which will take place from Tuesday, 19 May to Thursday, 21 May, features two new players, Sibabalwe Mahashe and Zekhethelo Siyaya, who have been invited to their first camp.
Embrose Papier, Francke Horn, Andre-Hugo Venter, and Henco van Wyk, who have all attended alignment camps before, are also part of the group. Erasmus said the purpose of this camp is to expose these players to the team’s structures and systems, with an eye on the next two seasons and beyond.
The squad comprises 25 forwards and 15 backline players, including 10 uncapped players. Six of these uncapped players were invited to the first alignment camp in March. Erasmus is looking forward to involving the new players, saying it will be a good opportunity to expose them to the team’s setup and standards.
Erasmus on the Selection Process
Rassie Erasmus expressed his excitement about the squad, saying it’s been pleasing to see the players make their presence felt in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. The camp will give the coaches a chance to align the fit players with the team’s way of operating, so they are ready to deliver at international level when an opportunity arises.
Erasmus also mentioned that several experienced national players are currently sidelined due to injury. However, they remain in the team’s plans and are on their own path with their own set of timelines. The coach emphasized that the objective of the alignment camp is to expose the players to the team’s environment, standards, and way of operating.
Springbok Test Schedule for 2026
The Springboks’ international season will kick off with a double-header in Gqeberha on Saturday, 20 June, featuring matches against the Barbarians and Zimbabwe. This will be followed by three home matches in the Nations Championship, against England, Scotland, and Wales.
The team will then face Argentina in Buenos Aires and the All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. An away Test against the Wallabies in Australia is also scheduled, before the second leg of the Nations Championship kicks off in Europe.
Players Invited to the Alignment Camp
The squad includes a mix of experienced and uncapped players, with 10 players yet to make their international debut. The forwards include Paul de Villiers, Ben-Jason Dixon, and Neethling Fouche, while the backs feature Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, and Embrose Papier.
The alignment camp is an important step in preparing the team for the upcoming season, and Erasmus is confident that the players will learn a lot from the experience.
