While the rugby bosses have put the game in a state of turmoil, Springbok coach Jake White and his squad went about business as usual.
The Bok squad had their first two field training sessions at Shimla Park at the University of Free State on Tuesday, and White said he was satisfied with what he saw on the first day of contact training.
”We started with our familiar phase play — firstly to use as a basis for getting out of the starting blocks, and secondly to introduce the newcomers to those aspects of our training that really worked for us last year.”
White and his coaching staff will use the next couple of days to sharpen and reinforce the phase-play routine.
Breyton Paulse left the training camp on Tuesday morning for Cape Town in order to undergo intensive rehabilitation to his injured left knee.
The experienced Bok winger sustained a ligament sprain to his knee in the Stormers Super 12 match against the Bulls in Pretoria.
Meanwhile, a few other players did not take part in the training sessions. Bryan Habana has an ankle sprain, lock Victor Matfield is suffering from lower-body contusion, Jaco van der Westhuyzen is getting over backache, Jacques Cronje has a contusion of his thigh and Ashwin Willemse is still trying to get over an ankle injury.
On Wednesday, the squad will visit the community of Heidedal to conduct a coaching clinic.
This community-outreach initiative forms part of the Springboks’ overall social responsibility programme. — Sapa