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The Erasmus verdict on Libbok, Mngomezulu after Springboks camp

(Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Rassie Erasmus has given his thoughts on how newcomers Manie Libbok and Sacha Mngomezulu fared during this week’s Springboks training camp in Stellenbosch. The South Africans assembled a 26-strong squad for the three-day training camp that included 17 locally-based players and nine who currently ply their trade in Japan and will now announce their Test and A team squad for their European tour on Friday.

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“It was a fantastic camp and it offered the coaches an ideal opportunity to get the players to switch their focus to the Ireland Test next week and the forthcoming SA A matches,” said Erasmus.

“It was also valuable in the sense that it exposed new players such as Manie (Libbok) and Sacha (Mngomezulu) to our structures and to see them in action as we finalise the selections for the Springbok and SA A teams. It was pleasing to see their and the rest of the training squad’s enthusiasm.

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“The Springboks are facing the two best teams in the world on successive weekends in Ireland and France, and Italy and England are always forces to be reckoned with – especially at home. Munster and Bristol are top clubs and will test the SA A team thoroughly, and we are now all on the same page in terms of the expectations on the players and coaches.

“The next step is to decide which players will depart for Ireland on Saturday as members of the Springbok squad for the Castle Lager outgoing tour, and those who will travel straight to Cork on Saturday, November 5, as part of the SA A touring group.

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“The training camp was beneficial in many ways as the players are back in Test mode, we had an opportunity to look at and discuss the opposition we will be facing on tour, and we had a golden opportunity to work with the SA A coaching team and expose them to the way we do things at the Springboks.

“There is a huge sense of excitement within the squad among the management and players, but we are under no illusions about the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead.”

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The players who will depart for Ireland on Saturday will be withdrawn from their respective URC franchises this weekend, while the other players will be eligible for selection for the two local derbies. The Springboks touring squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon and will depart for Ireland later in the evening.

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J
JW 28 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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