CAPE TOWN – He might have thought his Springbok days are over, but a few strong performances in recent weeks have seen Lwazi Mvovo play his way back into the national reckoning.
While it is only a training squad, Mvovo will be delighted with the call-up from Bok coach Rassie Erasmus on Wednesday. The 32-year-old wing Mvovo, who has 17 Test caps, last played at international level in June 2016 in the second match against Ireland at Ellis Park.
That was the game in which Allister Coetzee’s team came back from the dead to win 32-26 to stay alive in the series, which they clinched a week later in Port Elizabeth, after going down in the opener at Newlands.
Mvovo has been out in the cold since then, having only been part of the SA A squad for the England Saxons series last year. The flyer from Mthatha, who has six Test tries to his name, is one of eight Sharks players that will join the camp group in Stellenbosch on Thursday.
Wing Makazole Mapimpi, centres Lukhanyo Am and André Esterhuizen, flank Jean-Luc du Preez and front-rowers Tendai Mtawarira, Akker van der Merwe and Thomas du Toit are the other Durbanites in the squad.
Lions players will be added at the end of their Super Rugby campaign, while WP duo JD Schickerling and Cobus Wiese have been released back to their Currie Cup side. The first Bok Rugby Championship Test is against Argentina in Durban on August 18.
When you wanna succeed as bad as you wanna breathe, then you'll be successful. Eric Thomas
— Lwazi Mvovo (@lwazimvovo) July 5, 2018
Springbok Training Squad:
Forwards: Jean-Luc du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Tendai Mtawarira, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, RG Snyman, Akker van der Merwe, Marco van Staden
Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, André Esterhuizen, Warrick Gelant, Jesse Kriel, Makazole Mapimpi, Lwazi Mvovo, Embrose Papier, Handré Pollard, Ivan van Zyl, Damian Willemse.
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