Boks to gather for planning camp

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The dust will barely have settled on tomorrow’s big Super Rugby clash in Durban when many of the protagonists will gather together for Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer’s fourth and final Planning Camp ahead of the series against England next month.

The Sharks and Stormers players invited will be joined by players from the other three franchises in the first and only consolidated camp involving all the leading players.

There will be 42 players in all at this last opportunity for Meyer to work with the players before the final Springbok squad to face England converges in Durban on Sunday, June 3.

This latest camp will take place on Sunday and Monday. The players will depart Durban around midday on Monday and will be back with their Super Rugby franchises for training in the afternoon, thus incurring minimal disruption to preparation for next week’s round of Super Rugby matches.

“We discussed this with the franchise CEOs recently and they’ve been very accommodating, as they were earlier in the season,” said Meyer.

“We’ve planned it in Durban because the Stormers take on the Sharks at Kings Park the day before and will be there already. Players from the Bulls, Lions and Cheetahs will fly in on Sunday morning.

“This is by no means a final Springbok squad, and the door will be open for all our eligible players until the announcement of the squad that will take on England.

“This camp will put in place a number of the finer details in terms of what we want to achieve against England. We will hit the ground running on June 3, when we converge in Durban for the first Test with a final squad.”

Meyer said that they will keep in touch with the Super Rugby franchises regarding injured players, but that they weren’t considered for this camp.

Players invited to the final Springbok Planning Camp in Durban

Forwards (22): Coenie Oosthuizen, Tendai Mtawarira, Dean Greyling, Jannie du Plessis, Pat Cilliers, Werner Kruger, Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Flip van der Merwe, Eben Etzebeth, Andries Bekker, Juandré Kruger, Marcell Coetzee, CJ Stander, Heinrich Brüssow, Keegan Daniel, Willem Alberts, Jean Deysel, Pierre Spies, Ryan Kankowski, Josh Strauss.

Backs (20): Francois Hougaard, Jano Vermaak, Piet van Zyl, Morné Steyn, Pat Lambie, Elton Jantjies, Peter Grant, Wynand Olivier, Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Bjorn Basson, JP Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Lwazi Mvovo, Akona Ndungane, Zane Kirchner, Jaco Taute, Joe Pietersen.