- Title: RUGBY-S. AFRICA/SPRINGBOKS Springboks train in lead up to Rugby World Cup
- Date: 29th June 2015
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 29, 2015)(REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** WIDE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY NATIONAL TEAM AT TRAINING BRYAN HABANA WARMING UP VICTOR MATFIELD WARMING UP WITH FELLOW TEAM MATES JEAN DE VILLIERS CAPTAIN DURING TRAINING SPRINGBOKS TEAM WARMING UP SPRINGBOKS COACH HEYNEKE MEYER AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE)(English) SPRINGBOKS
- Embargoed: 14th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVADP64L7SXALPGY3MPD7GKHFCD0
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: With just over 80 days until the start of the Rugby World Cup, hosted in England and Wales, the Springboks are looking at a tight schedule of competitive matches and warm-ups before their first game against Japan on September 19.
The 49 player squad was named on Saturday (June 27) and training took place on Monday (June 29).
World Cup winners Frans Steyn and Jaque Fourie have been recalled to the extended Springbok squad but they, and 11 others, are currently carrying injuries.
Head coach Heyneke Meyer faces the task of leading his players through a busy schedule in July and August, dominated by the Rugby Championship - the southern hemisphere tournament between Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, while allowing his players to recover from their injuries and not sustaining more.
In deference to the demands of the World Cup the Championship will be shortened this year, with each team playing each other just once instead of twice, but South Africa are taking the opportunity to play Argentina again, in Argentina, as a warm-up for the World Cup.
First they will play a World XV in Cape Town on July 11 before flying to Australia to start the Championship.
"I never want to do it, but I will probably have to use the Championship as preparation for the World Cup as well," Meyer told reporters at a news conference in Johannesburg on Monday. "It doesn't make it easy because you start against an unbelievable World team which is as strong as any New Zealand side - a lot of New Zealand test players there."
As head coach of the Springboks Meyer is not content to deliver his players with a good chance of winning the World Cup. He has his sights set on winning the Rugby Championship as well.
"We planned well, and I am very positive. We must just get through the two or three first games," Meyer said. "I truly believe we will be fine for the World Cup. The Championship is my concern but I still think we can win it". - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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