Marco van Staden joins Springbok training squad
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 05: Marco van Staden of South Africa during the Rugby Championship South African Springboks captain's run at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag/Getty Images)
Bulls loose forward Marco van Staden has been added to the Springbok training squad and will join the rest of the group at their preparation camp in Pretoria on Monday.
Van Staden has been drafted in as cover for Siya Kolisi and will remain in camp until there is absolute clarity about whether Kolisi will be able to take part in the initial stages of the Rugby Championship. Kolisi injured his knee in the Super Rugby competition and is continuing with his rehabilitation in camp.
The Springboks will kick off their shortened Rugby Championship campaign on Saturday, July 20 against the Wallabies in Johannesburg, which will be followed a week later by the keenly awaited rematch with New Zealand in Wellington – the scene of last year’s epic away win against the All Blacks.
The Boks will conclude their official campaign against Argentina two weeks later, on Saturday, August 10 in Salta, while the same two teams are set to meet again a week later in Pretoria in a one-off Test before the Boks report for Rugby World Cup training duty.
Springboks training squad
Forwards: Schalk Brits (Bulls), Marcell Coetzee (Ulster), Lood de Jager (Bulls), Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), Rynardt Elstadt (Toulouse), Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), Lizo Gqoboka (Bulls), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (Saracens), Siya Kolisi (Stormers), Francois Louw (Bath), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Lions), Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Gloucester), Trevor Nyakane (Bulls), Marvin Orie (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Lions), RG Snyman (Bulls), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Duane Vermeulen (Bulls)
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Damian de Allende (Stormers), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks), Aphiwe Dyantyi (Lions), Warrick Gelant (Bulls), Elton Jantjies (Lions), Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse), Jesse Kriel (Bulls), Dillyn Lleyds (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Sibusiso Nkosi (Sharks), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints), Frans Steyn (Montpellier)
Photo credit: Official SA Rugby website