'Alignment camps vital': Nienaber explains plan for 2022 Springboks

Springboks boss Jacques Nienaber has outlined his plans for his team in 2022, a campaign that will get underway with alignment camps in Durban (April 10-12) and Cape Town (May 1-5) on either side of a European visit to catch up his overseas-based players. That includes a trip to the Sale training centre at Carrington on April 22 to touch base with Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager, who will be leaving the Gallagher Premiership club at the end of this season in England.    

The Springboks finished off a hectic 2021 with a last-gasp defeat to England at Twickenham and they will return to action when hosting Wales for a three-Test series in July in Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town prior to the start of the Rugby Championship. 

That campaign will feature two home Tests against the All Blacks and one against Argentina, and three away Tests - two against Australia and one against Argentina.

“We are excited to get our season underway and these alignment camps are vital as we have not played for several months,” said Springboks boss Nienaber. “These sessions will ensure that we are all on the same page on and off the field when we begin our official training sessions. 

"Most of these activities will involve boardroom sessions where we set objectives and align in terms of our planning. We will host similar camps with our overseas-based players in the next few weeks, but the door is not shut for other players to be invited to the remaining camps.

“It is also important to emphasise that being invited to these camps by no means is a guarantee of selection for the incoming tour squad (versus Wales) but rather an opportunity for the players to start switching into the mindset required for the international season.”

A Springboks media statement added: "A selected group of players from around South Africa have been invited to the camps and will appear in both cities as the Boks gear up for their exciting season. Further players, however, could be invited to the second camp.

"The purpose of the camps will be to expose the players to the plans for the season and the Springbok culture. Alignment camps will also be hosted with the overseas-based players in England and France, as well as virtual meetings, all of which will take place between Saturday, April 16, and Monday, April 25."