The group include Nolusindiso Booi, who captained the Springbok Women on their European Tour in November last year, vice-captains Babalwa Latsha and Zinhle Ndawonde, and stalwarts Tayla Kinsey, Thantaswa Macingwane and Charmaine Kayser.

The squad also features six of the contracted Springbok Women’s Sevens players, namely Zenay Jordaan, Zintle Mpupha, Mathrin Simmers, Rights Mkhari, Eloise Webb and Nadine Roos.

The players will assemble at HTS Drostdy in Worcester on Tuesday, 19 March, where they will be put through their paces with a number of strength and conditioning tests and training sessions with an eye on the international season, which will kick off later in the year. The team’s fixtures will be confirmed in due course.

“The purpose of the camp is for us to measure the players’ fitness and strength levels, so the testing will involve a wide range of exercises,” said Raubenheimer.

“There will be a big focus on conditioning, in particular, as this is the first time I see some of the players after our tour last year. The camp will also allow us to do medical screening so we can make sure the players do not have niggling injuries.

“We have invited a big squad to the assessment camp as we would like to cast the net as widely as possible in terms of discovering new talent, but that said, these are by no means the only players we are looking at. We will not close the door to any player who performs well.”

Raubenheimer was pleased with the foundation laid last year and said they would like to raise the bar this season.

“This camp will serve as the perfect opportunity for us to see who is serious about representing the Springbok Women and who is prepared to put in the hard yards, both at camp and on their own,” said Raubenheimer.

“Once the assessments are completed I intend to speak to the players about where they are and what they need to work on, so they will get homework, and it will be their responsibility to work on those areas when they return to their provinces.

“We have a long-term goal, so it is important that we have players who can adhere to the standards we set and who we can work with for the next three years because we to be competitive against the top teams in the world.”

National Women’s assessment camp squad:

Nolusindiso Booi (Western Province)

Kirsten Conrad (Western Province)

Nellodene De Wee (Griquas)

Xolelwa Diliza (Border)

Lusanda Dumke (Border)

Maxine Engelbrecht (Griquas)

Gabby Fisher (Boland)

Lindelwa Gwala (KZN)

Aseza Hele (Eastern Province)

Anelca Hess (Boland)

Alana-Lee Horne (Western Province)

Onaka Jita (Boland)

Zenay Jordaan (SA Rugby)

Charmaine Kayser (Western Province)

Tayla Kinsey (KZN)

Sibabalwa Klaas (Eastern Province)

Amy-Kay Klaasen (Western Province)

Babalwa Latsha (Western Province)

Thantaswa Macingwane (Eastern Province)

Lerato Makua (Blue Bulls)

Ayanda Malinga (Pumas)

Kimico Manuel (Western Province)

Vuyolwethu Maqholo (Western Province)

Nompumelelo Mathe (KZN)

Sinazo Mcatshulwa (Western Province)

Rights Mkhari (SA Rugby)

Nomsa Mokwai (Western Province)

Katlego Moremi (Blue Bulls)

Zintle Mpupha (SA Rugby)

Zinhle Ndawonde (KZN)

Demi Nel (Western Province)

Yonela Ngxingolo (Border)

Aphiwe Ngwevu (Border)

Asithandile Ntoyanto (Border)

Chumisa Qawe (Border)

Nadine Roos (SA Rugby)

Mathrin Simmers (SA Rugby)

Sizophile Solontsi (KZN)

Bernice Strydom (Free State)

Eloise Webb (SA Rugby)