Bosch, Du Preez and Gelant named in Springbok squad

Promising young flyhalf Curwin Bosch, No 8 Dan du Preez and fullback Warrick Gelant were on Saturday included in the 34-man Springbok squad for the start of the 2017 Rugby Championship campaign.

The 22-year old Du Preez is the twin brother of Springbok loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez.

The Springbok group gets together on Tuesday, 8 August in Port Elizabeth to start their preparations for the 2017 campaign, which kicks off their on 19 August against Argentina at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

The uncapped trio of Bosch, Du Preez and Gelant, as well as experienced prop Trevor Nyakane, flanker Uzair Cassiem and flyhalf Handré Pollard are the only players in the squad that were not part of the Springboks’ 3-0 Test series win over France in June.

Gelant impressed for the SA ‘A’ team against the French Barbarians in June and has been performing consistently well for the Bulls this year, especially during the latter part of Vodacom Super Rugby.

The 20-year old Bosch had a similar good season with the Cell C Sharks and the Junior Springboks at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.

The inclusion of Pollard is to monitor his rehabilitation and conditioning first hand and also to assess his return to play protocol. The 23-year-old flyhalf has earned 20 Boks caps already but he missed the entire 2016 season because of a knee injury and saw limited  Super Rugby action this year because of his ankle injury.

No 8 Warren Whiteley was withdrawn because of his groin injury, which will most likely keep him out of action for six more weeks. Whiteley captained the Boks in the first two Test against France and missed the final match in Johannesburg because of his groin problem, which also forced him to miss the rest of the Vodacom Super Rugby campaign.

Meanwhile, experienced prop Tendai Mtawarira is recovering from a neck injury sustained in June. He will however join the Bok squad in Port Elizabeth, where his return to play will be closely monitored and a call on his availability for selection will be made during the course of the two weeks.

The Springbok squad for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship (in alphabetical order):