Boks get World Cup preps underway with three-week Cape Town camp

While the Six Nations is on a break this weekend after last week's pulsating action, 14 Springbok players will assemble in Cape Town on Sunday for a three-week physical and rugby development camp.

The camp that ends on 10 March is for players of national interest and those who have been on a break from the United Rugby Championship.

The Sharks, Bulls, and Stormers, who are all in action on Saturday, have relinquished players to the break, which was four weeks, from where most of those players will be in the camp.

The camp will involve a series of off-field alignment sessions as well as on-field training sessions to prepare the players for the remainder of the season from a rugby and physical perspective.

The sessions form part of the Boks' first preparatory steps for their World Cup defence in France later this year.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said the next three weeks will be crucial for them in terms of getting their World Cup plans on track.

"All of these players come off an important resting period, so the next three weeks will be crucial to ensure that they return to full-out rugby as effectively as possible and to get everyone aligned with our structures going into the World Cup year," Nienaber said.

"Player management will be particularly important this season to get the squad to peak at the right time, while at the same time getting the desired results in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, our World Cup warm-up games, and at the international showpiece as we attempt to defend our title."

The Springboks will play two Tests at home against Australia (Loftus Versfeld - 8 July) and Argentina (Ellis Park - 29 July) interspersed with away games against New Zealand (Auckland – 15 July) and Argentina (Buenos Aires – 5