Rassie Erasmus tweets clarification about his first Springboks camp

Rassie Erasmus has published his first tweet since naming his new Springboks coaching team, clarifying to fans of the reigning world champions that players not selected for the upcoming alignment camp in Cape Town aren’t excluded from his selection plans for 2024.

With the 2023 Rugby World Cup head coach Jacques Nienaber now at Leinster and assistant Felix Jones with England, SA director of rugby Erasmus was confirmed on February 6 as the head coach through to the 2027 finals in Australia.

This was the role he originally took when he returned to South Africa in 2018 from Munster, guiding them to World Cup glory in 2019 in Japan before taking on the South African DoR position.

Having unveiled Tony Brown, Jerry Flannery and recently retired No8 Duane Vermeulen as new Springboks assistants, Erasmus named a 43-strong squad last Monday to attend a two-day camp in Cape Town from March 5.

That selection garnered plenty of commentary and Erasmus, whose first media briefing as the new head coach isn’t until the week of the alignment camp, has taken to social media to give Springboks fans an update in advance of that planned Cape Town gathering.

“Hi, South Africa,” he began. “Hope 2024 is going well! Guys and ladies, just some info! Remember an alignment camp does not mean those are the only players who will play for the Springboks this year! Just like in the past, there is a purpose for every camp! Have a lekka weekend!”

The group of 43 named by Erasmus included 39 domestic and four Japan-based players, who are currently injured and doing their rehabilitation in South Africa. Nineteen were members of the 2023 World Cup-winning team.

The group will gather for two days of boardroom sessions to get everyone up to speed on the way forward this season, a campaign that will begin with the June 22 Qatar Airways Cup clash versus Wales in London.