Boks ready to shift into Rugby Championship mode

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus was confident that his team were ready to transition into Test mode after a productive two-week conditioning camp in Johannesburg in preparation for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

The Boks will re-assemble in Johannesburg on Sunday, where they will turn their full attention to the first of two matches against Australia at Ellis Park next week Saturday. The second Test against the Wallabies will be hosted at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday 23 August.

These matches will be followed by back-to-back Tests against New Zealand in Auckland and Wellington (on 6 and 13 September) and Argentina in Durban and London (on 27 September and 4 October).

“We are pleased with the hard work the players put in over the last two weeks and we are looking forward to making the switch into the Castle Lager Rugby Championship next week,” said Erasmus.

“The intensity and competitiveness of this competition will be completely different and our conditioning camp was important to allow us to make that step-up physically and mentally.

“We will be going up against quality teams in the Wallabies, All Blacks, and Pumas, so it was important to lay a strong foundation on and off the field before we go into full Test-match week from Sunday.”

Erasmus added: “The camp included a series of gym and field training sessions, as well as boardroom sessions, which were vital for us to realign regarding our standards and what we want to achieve on the field.

“It was very productive and we hope that it will benefit us as we prepare to face a psyched-up and physical Australian team following the British & Irish Lions Series.

“We then have a tour to New Zealand and face Argentina and both those teams pose their own threats, so hopefully we can build on these standards.”

Erasmus said the focus for now, however, was on the first two matches against the Wallabies.

“We are approaching the tournament in three different blocks, the first of which is the leg against Australia and we have no doubt they will want to build on their performances in their last two matches against the British & Irish Lions,” he said.

“Similarly, we would like to continue building momentum and our results in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, although we are under no illusions about the challenges these teams will pose.

“We are excited for the challenge ahead, and we are looking forward to returning to the field next week.”

Springbok Castle Lager Rugby Championship fixtures

16 August: SA v Australia – Ellis Park, Johannesburg (5.10pm)

23 August: SA v Australia – DHL Stadium, Cape Town (5.10pm)

6 September: New Zealand v SA – Eden Park, Auckland (9.05am)

13 September: New Zealand v SA – Sky Stadium, Wellington (9.05am)

27 September: SA v Argentina – Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban (5.10pm)

4 October: Argentina v SA – Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London (3pm)

Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship Tests against Australia

Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls).

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers).