Rassie Erasmus has moved the Springbok squad into full Test-week mode ahead of next Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry opener against the All Blacks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
The squad trained on both Friday and Saturday before being given a day and a half off, with the scheduling designed to allow the players who travelled to Argentina adequate recovery time and the chance to reset to the domestic time zone.
"We are pleased that the players are well recovered and ready to give everything for the forthcoming Tests against the All Blacks," Erasmus said. He described the four-match series as comparable to back-to-back World Cup knockout rugby. "We are facing one of the world's best week in and week out, and we all understand the magnitude of the RGR series."
Erasmus also noted that the coaches and players who remained in South Africa during the past two weeks have continued preparations behind the scenes, with specific areas of the game earmarked for refinement in the lead-up to the first Test.
Hooker Johan Grobbelaar and utility forward Elrigh Louw have been released to play for the Bulls against the All Blacks on Saturday and will rejoin the national squad on Sunday, completing the group ahead of the Ellis Park clash.
The series runs across four consecutive Tests: Johannesburg on August 22, Cape Town on August 29, Johannesburg again on September 5, and Baltimore on September 12.