'Forgotten' Mbonambi added to Bok camp

Cape Town - Stormers hooker Bongi Mbonambi has been added to the Springbok rehabilitation and conditioning camp in Stellenbosch.

Last Sunday Springbok coach Allister Coetzee invited 18 players to attend a four-day fundamentals, rehabilitation and conditioning camp to be held from August 1-4.

No Lions or overseas-based players were considered. The Lions are currently in New Zealand preparing for their Super Rugby final against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

The purpose of the camp is to give the Springbok management first-hand opportunity to assess the medical and fitness condition of the selected group of players.

“We will use the four days to spend some time on our fundamentals, continued rehabilitation and conditioning of this group of players,” said Coetzee.

“Our management will be working hard during these four days and it will give us a good indication of the progress of those players who have recovered from injury, or those currently battling with niggles.”

However, on Monday Coetzee added Mbonambi's name to the list after a "miscommunication between members of the management" saw him omitted.

Coetzee also confirmed that Stormers hooker Scarra Ntubeni has been dropped, with the national mentor preferring to see the injury-prone front-rower earning some game time in the Currie Cup.

“Certain players will have to regain form and play in the Currie Cup‚” Coetzee said.

“Scarra needs game time but coming to a camp is not going to help him‚ he needs to play matches.

The omission of Ntubeni, who was part of the Springbok squad that did battle with Ireland in June, paves the way for in-form Lions hooker Malcolm Marx to make his debut in the Green and Gold during this month's Rugby Championship.

The Boks will open their 2016 Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina on Saturday, August 20 in Nelspruit.

19-man Springbok rehabilitation and conditioning camp:

1. Damian de Allende (Stormers)
2. Lood de Jager (Cheetahs)
3. Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers)
4. Eben Etzebeth (Stormers)
5. Vincent Koch (Stormers)
6. Jesse Kriel (Bulls)
7. Pat Lambie (Sharks)
8. Frans Malherbe (Stormers)
9. Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers)
10. Oupa Mohoje (Cheetahs)
11. Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks)
12. Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks)
13. Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Stormers)
14. Trevor Nyakane (Bulls)
15. Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks)
16. Rudy Paige (Bulls)
17. Handré Pollard (Bulls)
18. Jan Serfontein (Bulls)
19. Adriaan Strauss (Bulls)