World Champion Junior Bok trio enjoying camp, says Rassie Erasmus

Combative forward Batho Hlekani, scrumhalf Haashim Pead and winger Cheswill Jooste were invited to the Bok training camp following the Junior Boks' victorious U20 Championship campaign in Italy last month.

Erasmus hinted that their participation is not just for their own development, but also as a stark reminder to the incumbents of the prodigious talent coming through the ranks.

"They take part in every single part of the training, boardroom, classroom, morning, physical sessions, scrum sessions and so on," Erasmus told the media this week.

"So, it's not like we put them out of certain things, it's not just for them to sit and listen and learn, it is for them to take part as well. Also, for the older guys to know this is what is coming through.

"They are fitting in well, and I think they're enjoying it. They are keeping up with the other guys, so that's great."

Erasmus added that the trio understand they are very unlikely to feature in the green and gold this season. However, squad depth is the ultimate goal.

"We definitely don't see those guys playing Test matches this year, but we're getting them used to the environment here and wherever they go for their franchises or their clubs," he added.

"It's just for us to understand how quickly they can make the step up and settle into the environment with the energy they bring, like what we did with Ntokozo Makhaza.

"The three of them know 100% well that there's no chance [that they play for the Springboks this year], unless they really knock down the door and blow us away at training sessions.

"We are just looking at all the possibilities of guys, we try to have three positions deep in experience, being calm and understanding the Springbok set-up and also get enough youth involved there. If you get three injuries in one position, and that can happen in one or two games, then you have three more players in one position."