Boks deny secret training camp rumours

Jamie Pandaram
July 28, 2011

"There's mischief every week" ... De Villiers (centre) at a media call in Sydney last week. Photo: Getty Images
SPRINGBOKS coach Peter de Villiers has denied that the big-name players he left in South Africa are training at a secret camp.

The South Africans have been criticised for bringing a second-string team to Australia and New Zealand for the Tri Nations, but de Villiers has repeatedly stated he had no choice given 23 players were injured.

That statement was strongly questioned after South African journalist Mark Keohane published an article claiming the ''so-called injured players'' were at a secret training camp in Rustenburg.

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But de Villiers rejected that there was any such camp. ''It's the first time I've heard that,'' he said as the Springboks arrived in New Zealand yesterday ahead of their clash with the All Blacks on Saturday night. ''So-called is not the right word to use. They're injured players back in South Africa and there's a few guys going back today too who are also injured.''

De Villiers said he was not surprised by suggestions the injured players were training: ''There's mischief every week.''

Captain John Smit said: ''I wouldn't have a clue, you'd have to be in South Africa to see what's going on, surely.''

De Villiers said he only had to look at his rivals' team, who are resting four players, to know that key players needed rest in a World Cup year.

''Graham Henry is a sensible coach and person. So I think that they know how to manage the players and the workload,'' de Villiers said.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz1TLXkDBYt