These camp activities and proposed friendly matches against local senior provincial teams are designed to lay the platform for the Junior Springboks’ preparations for the season.

A total of 23 players from the DHL Stormers, Toyota Cheetahs and Hollywoodbets Sharks gathered in Stellenbosch between 15 and 19 January to resume training, while 27 young men drawn from the Vodacom Bulls and Golden Lions attended the second camp in Pretoria, held from 22 to 26 January.

The Junior Springboks’ coaching and management staff, with the support of junior provincial coaches and strength and conditioning coaches were overseeing the camps.

According to Junior Bok head coach Bafana Nhleko, the main objective of the alignment camps is to focus on the core skills of the young players and to integrate the Under-19 group into the national coaching programme.

“Some of the players were still at school last year, so it was important to explain to them why they were selected for the programme, expose them to how our programme works and to integrate them into our coaching and training,” said Nhleko.

“And we also shared with them along with their coaches, the areas of their game, skills and conditioning we would like them to improve on. They have now returned to their provincial teams where they will continue to work with their coaches and S&C coaches.”