Munster's RG Snyman called into South Africa training squad

Fresh from his URC win with Munster RG Snyman is back with South Africa for the first time in two years.

SPRINGBOKS TRAINING SQUAD: RG Snyman has been included in Jacques Nienaber South Africa training squad. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Tue, 30 May, 2023 - 15:51

Fiona Halligan

Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has named a 33-man training squad for their second preparation camp in Durban. The squad has more than doubled in size since their first camp with players returning after their campaigns finished in Japan and the URC.

Munster lock RG Snyman returns to the Springboks set up after a two year abscence due to injury. He is joined by Ulster loose forward Duane Vermeulen.

RG Snyman is back in a Springbok jersey for the first time in two years 👏 pic.twitter.com/TXE53UXboJ
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) May 30, 2023

Springbok captain and flanker Siya Kolisi, lock Eben Etzebeth, scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse and prop Thomas du Toit are included in the squad and their injury progress and rehabilitation will be overseen by the medical team.

Nine Stormers players will link up with the squad after their campaign in the URC finished with a defeat in the final to Munster as well as a contingent of players from Japan.

“We are delighted to have a quality training squad at this camp. The squad size will allow us to have productive on-field training sessions without having to rotate and manage players too much,” said Nienaber.

“We had a strong core of the players at the last preparation camp, and we intend to build on the foundation we laid there when we assemble in Durban, and I believe this will set us in good stead going into the Castle Lager Rugby Championship camp in Pretoria next month.

“This will mark the first time most of the players will be in the national set-up this season, as the alignment camps in Cape Town and Stellenbosch and the last preparation camp in Durban included mainly the locally based players. We did, however, have online alignment sessions with the overseas based players, so we are excited about this opportunity to work with them in person.”

The Springboks head to Pretoria for a training camp before playing Australia in their opening game of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday July 8.

They head to New Zealand for their second test when they face the All Blacks at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland on July 15 before returning home to close out the condensed version of the competition when they play Argentina in Johannesburg on July 29.

The will play three Rugby World Cup warm-up matches against Argentina in Buenos Aires (Saturday August 5), Wales in Cardiff (Saturday August 19) and New Zealand in London (Friday August 25).

The Springboks will then travel to France for the Rugby World Cup where they face Scotland, Romania, Ireland and Tonga in their pool stages.

Springbok training squad:

FORWARDS

Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks)

Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers)

Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers)

Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks)

Joseph Dweba (DHL Stormers)

Malcom Marx (Kubota Spears)

Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks)

Lood de Jager (Wild Knights)

Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks)