Rassie Erasmus has invited 56 domestic players for the first Springboks alignment camp of the year.

Players based overseas have not been invited but Erasmus and his support staff will also host virtual alignment camps with those stars as well as a group of talented youngsters, and injured players plying their trade domestically, who were not invited to this camp, SA Rugby have confirmed.

The coaching staff and players will meet in Cape Town next month for the first in-person coaches’ strategic session of the year with a three-day alignment camp following.

First Springboks alignment camp of 2025

The alignment camp, which is set to conclude on Wednesday, March 12, will comprise two gymnasium sessions and a series of boardroom meetings to get the players up to speed on the requirements and expected standards for the season.

18 Rugby World Cup 2023 winners, having been invited to the camp with 10 of which also won the tournament in 2019.

Meanwhile, uncapped players Celimpilo Gumede, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Henco van Wyk all get another taste of Springbok rugby having previously been invited to camps or having played for South Africa A while players such as Jurenzo Julius, JF van Heerden, and Reinhardt Ludwig will get their first taste.

“Our alignment camps have proven invaluable in the last few years as it offers us the opportunity to present our structures for the season, as well as the Springbok culture and way of doing things,” said Erasmus.

“The focus at this camp will be to get everyone on the same page for the 2025 season, which will be vital in laying a good foundation for us to build on with a challenging campaign coming up.”

The Springboks face Italy in back-to-back Test matches on 5 and 12 July before they tackle Georgia on 19 July. Following that, South Africa will begin their Rugby Championship title defence with successive Test matches against Australia on home soil before travelling to New Zealand where they will face the All Blacks in Auckland and Wellington.

The team will return to South Africa for a clash against Argentina (27 September) and will wrap up their campaign with the closing match of the 2025 edition of the southern hemisphere showpiece against Argentina at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in London.

Nine Sharks, eight Stormers, four Lions and 12 Bulls forwards have been invited to the camp in the Mother City.

As for the backs, nine Sharks, five Stormers, four Lions and five Bulls have been included.

There are 16 uncapped players among the invitees, they are: Ethan Bester, Neethling Fouche, Renzo du Plessis, Francke Horn, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Celimpilo Gumede, Reinhardt Ludwig, JF van Heerden, Cobus Wiese, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Paul de Wet, Henco van Wyk, Sebastian de Klerk, and David Kriel.

Players invited to Springbok alignment camp

Forwards: Ethan Bester, Phepsi Buthelezi, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane (all Hollywoodbets Sharks); Ben-Jason Dixon, Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Venter (all DHL Stormers); Renzo du Plessis, Francke Horn, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruan Venter (all Emirates Lions); Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Wilco Louw, Reinhardt Ludwig, Ruan Nortje, Gerhard Steenekamp, Akker van der Merwe, JF van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese (all Vodacom Bulls).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo Julius, Makazole Mapimpi, Grant Williams (all Hollywoodbets Sharks); Paul de Wet, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (all DHL Stormers); Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Henco van Wyk (all Emirates Lions); Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Embrose Papier (all Vodacom Bulls).