Two senior Springbok rugby players are defending Kamp Staaldraad as having sorted out divisions in the team before the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Captain Corné Krige told Carte Blanche on Sunday night that there had been a need to "sort our huge problems".
Senior player Joost van der Westhuizen said the camp "took away the cultural differences" that had existed in the team.
"It took away the provincial differences. It took away the age differences," he said.
The camp took place a few days after the racism row after Blue Bulls lock Geo Cronjé had allegedly refused to share a room with Western Province player Quinton Davids.
The incident led to the resignation of communications manager Mark Keohane, who later wrote a report to South African Rugby that highlighted prejudice in the team.
The team management denied Keohane's claims, saying that the issues he had raised had never been a problem in the Bok team.
On Sunday night Krige said: "Mentally the toughest part of the camp was when we were put in this hole. Originally we were in there and it was dark. You can't see anyone. We sorted out huge problems in that hole.
"Every guy spoke from the heart. We were really tired. Ashwin (Willemse) spoke from a black player point of view about things that bothered him. He was honest and the guys agreed and said this is the way we have to go. From now on we are brothers and no one can separate us."
Willemse was identified in the Keohane report as having had a problem with prejudice and racism within the team.