Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk has been omitted from an extended Springbok training squad named on Monday.

The Boks will attend a training camp in Stellenbosch from 2-4 April in preparation for the three-Test series against France in June.

Apart from the players who are unavailable for selection due to injury, De Klerk is the one notable absentee from the group. Lions lock Franco Mostert is not available for this camp, as his wife is due to give birth to their first child.

Pat Lambie, Uzair Cassiem and Ruan Combrinck are nursing injuries, but unlike Damian de Allende and Jean-Luc du Plessis, they have been asked to attend the camp.

Five players – Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Ruan Ackermann, EW Viljoen, Wilco Louw and Curwin Bosch – who are all under the age of 23, were also included in recognition of their Bok potential.

Players from the Bulls or Kings were not considered for the Stellenbosch camp, because they will be playing away fixtures in New Zealand and Australia at the time.

As with the first camp, there were no overseas-based players included, adhering to Regulation 9 of World Rugby.

‘The first camp was very successful and we managed to cover a lot of our planning and training plans with the group that assembled in Johannesburg. We aim to do the same in Stellenbosch,’ coach Allister Coetzee said.

‘This group has a different look to it because of the addition of the Sharks players, while we are not able to call up players from the Bulls and the Kings because they will be abroad when the camp takes place.

‘There is still one more camp to follow after Stellenbosch, so we will keep the door open for players who perform in Super Rugby. The camp provides another opportunity for us to cast the net wider and also to have a closer look at certain positions. There are a couple of new faces in this group who have shown consistent good form. I also want to thank our franchise and conditioning coaches for their continued collaboration and support.’

Springbok training squad – Ruan Ackermann, Lukhanyo Am, Clayton Blommetjies, Curwin Bosch, Ruan Botha, Uzair Cassiem, Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ruan Dreyer, Jean-Luc du Preez , Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Elton Jantjies, Siya Kolisi, Jaco Kriel, Pat Lambie, Dillyn Leyds, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Lionel Mapoe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Oupa Mohoje, Beast Mtawarira, Lubabalo Mtembu, Lwazi Mvovo, Ox Nche, Coenie Oosthuizen, Etienne Oosthuizen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Cobus Reinach, Raymond Rhule, Seabelo Senatla, Kobus van Wyk, Jano Vermaak, Francois Venter, Shaun Venter, EW Viljoen, Warren Whiteley, Fred Zeilinga.

ALSO READ: Bok barometer (Round 5)

Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images