Why 14 top Boks have assembled for Cape Town camp: 'Some haven't had a break since Lions series'

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has shed more light on the reasons for running the current alignment camp with top players.

Fourteen frontline Springboks assembled in Cape Town on Sunday for a three-week "physical and rugby development" camp as the world champions step up preparations for the defence of their title in France later this year.

The camp, which runs until 10 March, is for players of national interest and those who have been on a break from the United Rugby Championship (URC).

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.

Nienaber, along with Head of Athletic Performance Andy Edwards, addressed reporters at the Cullinan Hotel in Cape Town on Wednesday.

The Bok coach said the majority of the players had played almost non-stop since they beat the British & Irish Lions 2-1 in a series in July and August in 2021.

"The biggest reason for this camp is that a lot of these players here at this camp haven't had a break from rugby probably since before the British & Irish Lions series," Nienaber said.

"The majority ... not all of them as some of them have had a development block after the URC ... are guys who fit that mould."

Nienaber confirmed there will be regular camps throughout the season.

"For future camps, we'll sometimes have alignment camps on a Sunday with players from Japan. The alignment camps happen regularly. Every camp is there for a specific reason, we'll invite a player for a specific reason to that camp."

Nienaber, though, stressed that they have a much larger group of players of national interest.

"These 14 players being here doesn't mean that we're not looking at other players. The squad that we're