The 2024 SA Rugby Academy and Elite Player Development 3 programmes will kick into gear in a few weeks’ time with three camps for U19 players in Stellenbosch, including five players who featured in this year’s World Rugby U20 Championship.

The Junior Springboks’ coaching and management staff will oversee the camps, which will start on 30 October and conclude on 15 December, and will form part of the 2023 Elite Player Development Programme. A number of provincial age-group coaches will also be invited to the camps.

The five 2023 Junior Springbok representatives who have been invited to Stellenbosch are Litelihle Bester, Jurenzo Julius, Asad Moos, Zachary Porthen and JF van Heerden.

Twelve players will attend the first camp, where the focus will be on strength and conditioning. The number will then jump to 33 players for the assessment camp, with three additional players invited on a part-time basis. The series of camps will conclude in December when 14 players get together for a tight five camp.

“These initiatives are essential for identifying and nurturing talent as part of our EPD programme, and I’m delighted that we’ll have a big group of players to work with in the coming weeks,” said SA U20 head coach Bafana Nhleko.

“Almost all of these players have been part of either the SA Schools teams in the last two seasons, the SA Rugby Academy programme or played for the Junior Boks earlier this year, so they will know what to expect when they arrive in Stellenbosch.

“However, we are also aware that many of these guys have played little to no rugby this year, so it’s important to see where they are and what upskilling will be required with an eye on next year.

“We’ve been keeping a close eye on the SA Rugby Under-21 Cup competition, which concludes this weekend, and it was great to see so many of the players we’ve identified earlier in their careers putting their hands up in competition even though they are still Under-19.”

SA Rugby Academy Camps:

Strength & Conditioning Camp (30 October to 7 November):

Sphephelo Mbonambi, Bradley Stanfliet (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Yaseen Arendse, Luca Bakkes, Adam de Waal, Andre Goedhals (all DHL Western Province), Sibabalwe Mahashe, Thabang Mphafi (both Fidelity ADT Lions), Tylor Sefoor (Toyota Cheetahs), Michail Damon, Liam Koen, Phillip-Albert van Niekerk (all Vodacom Bulls).

Assessment Camp (8 to 30 November)

Ethan Bester, Litelihle Bester, Thomas Dyer, Matthew Fick, Jurenzo Julius, Sphephelo Mbonambi, Nicolas Snyman, Bradley Stanfliet (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Luca Bakkes, Joshua Boulle, Adam de Waal, Andre Goedhals, Joel Leotlela, Asad Moos, Zachary Porthen (all DHL Western Province), Reno Hirst, Sibabalwe Mahashe, Thabang Mphafi, Thurlon Williams (all Fidelity ADT Lions), Tylor Sefoor (Toyota Cheetahs), Caleb Abrahams, Casper Badenhorst,Keanu Coetzee, Michail Damon, Benjamin Heydenrych, Alfondso Isaacs, Liam Koen, Mbasa Maqubela, Lukas Meyer, Steven Nel, Juan Smal, JF van Heerden, Phillip-Albert van Niekerk (all Vodacom Bulls).

Three additional players from DHL Western Province received part-time invitations for further evaluation and potential integration: Grant de Jager, Ezekiel Ngobeni, Bruce Sherwood.

Tight Five Camp (11 to 15 December):

Bradley Stanfliet (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Yaseen Arendse, Luca Bakkes, Adam de Waal, Andre Goedhals, Zachary Porthen (all DHL Western Province), Reno Hirst, Thabang Mphafi, Sibabalwe Mahashe (all Fidelity ADT Lions), Keanu Coetzee, Benjamin Heydenrych, Juan Smal, Mbasa Maqubela (all Vodacom Bulls), Ruan Swart (SWD Eagles).