Frans Steyn is the feature name among 26 South Africa players who have gathered in Pretoria for the next “national alignment and conditioning camp” as the Springboks and head coach Rassie Erasmus continue preparations for the coming international season.
Erasmus named Steyn, who plays for French Top 14 club Montpellier, and who has not featured for South Africa since 2017, when he played for the Springboks against France in Johannesburg, among nine overseas-based players in the camp.
Players from the Bulls and Sharks who featured in the Super Rugby quarterfinals at the weekend, will be named to join the camp from next Monday.
The Springboks kick off their abbreviated Rugby Championship campaign against Australia in Johannesburg on July 20, and they will play New Zealand in Wellington, the scene of last year’s epic away win over against the All Blacks, the following week.
The Boks conclude their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina in Salta on August 10, and the teams meet again a week later in Pretoria before the South Africans report for Rugby World Cup training duty.
The following players were named to attend the Springboks alignment and conditioning camp in Pretoria on Sunday.
Forwards:
Schalk Brits (Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (Ulster, Ireland), Lood de Jager (Bulls), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), Rynardt Elstadt (Toulouse, France), Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Lions), Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Gloucester, England), Marvin Orie (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Lions).
Backs:
Damian de Allende (Stormers), Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks, England), Aphiwe Dyantyi (Lions), Elton Jantjies (Lions), Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse, France), Dillyn Lleyds (Stormers), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz, Japan), Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints, England), Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France).