Successful Junior Springbok camps

SA Rugby acting high performance manager, Louis Koen, is happy that the objectives of the two under 20's assessment camps this week.

Koen went on to highlight the fact that a lot of hard work is needed ahead of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.

We reached the outcomes we had hoped to achieve at the camps," said Koen.

"In terms of conditioning we have work to do, especially with the younger players. But some of the players who have been training with their Super Rugby teams and those who participated in the SA Rugby U19 Championship last season were at a good level.

"The focus for us was to establish a baseline, and now that we have it we can work from here and plan accordingly. Dr Warren Adams (Springbok conditioning coach) and his team will now communicate with the players and their provincial unions, so that we can make sure they are at the expected levels when the squad is selected and assembles in camp."

The two camps were conducted at Afrikaanse Hoërskool Seunskool (Affies) in Pretoria and Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) in Stellenbosch. 86 players were invited and attended the camps with exception of those players in Super Rugby and Springbok Sevens.

A 45-man training squad will be announced at the end of February and will come together for a camp from 5-17 March, followed by a tour to face teams from Griffons, Griquas and Free State Cheetahs.

An additional training camp will take place in Cape Town from, April 18 to May 12, ahead of the final preparations for the U20 Championship that will include a four-day holding camp in May and departure on 25 May.

"We plan to visit the unions so that we can get to the players to follow up on what they did at these camps," said Koen.

"With the assessment camps concluded, we believe our preparations will go smoothly as our planning leading up to the tournament is completed.

"I think we managed to get a great group of players together. They have immense potential and talent and I am very positive about this group. Once the coaching staff are appointed, we will ensure that they are happy and ready to go."

The Junior Boks' pool includes hosts France, Georgia and Argentina in the pool stages of the World Rugby U20 Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia, on May 31, June 4 and 8 June respectively.