Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber named an experienced team, including 15 players who featured in the 2019 final, for their Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France at the Stade de France in Paris on Sunday evening.
Eight players in the starting lineup will run out in the same positions as they did in the memorable 2019 final victory against England: Siya Kolisi, who will again lead the team, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen, Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe.
Furthermore, only two players in Sunday’s starting team, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Manie Libbok, and two more on the bench, Deon Fourie and Ox Nche, were not part of the 2019 RWC squad.
Every player in the pack has played more than 60 Tests. Steven Kitshoff, Mbonambi and Malherbe will pack down in the front row, while Etzebeth and Franco Mostert will pair up at lock, with Kolisi, Du Toit and Vermeulen forming the loose trio.
In the backline, Libbok and Cobus Reinach will join forces in an exciting attacking halfback combination, with De Allende and Kriel on duty in the midfield, Cheslin Kolbe and Arendse on the wings, while Damian Willemse will be at fullback.
Nienaber’s replacement bench features five forwards and three backs. Deon Fourie serves as the impact hooker, with Ox Nche and Vincent Koch (both props), RG Snyman (lock) and Kwagga Smith (loose forward).
The three backline players among the replacements are also very experienced, with a combined total of 209 caps between Faf de Klerk, Handre Pollard and Willie le Roux.
In total, the starting team shows 12 changes to the side that defeated Tonga 49-18 in Marseille 13 days ago, one of which is the positional switch of Vermeulen from No 7 to his specialist role at the back of the scrum.
The starting lineup shows only two changes from the team that faced Ireland, where De Klerk was at scrumhalf and Jasper Wiese at No 8.
“We’ve been working with most of these players since 2018 and we’ve been building a squad capable of defending our title,” said Nienaber. “We believe this group will offer us the impetus we need against a quality French side that will be playing in front of a passionate home crowd.
“Most of these players have Rugby World Cup experience and several of them were involved in the 2019 final, so they know what it takes to perform in big moments.
“Twenty of these players also featured in the matchday squad that faced France in Marseille a year ago, which was a good dress rehearsal for what we can expect from France and their supporters.”
Nienaber relished the prospect of facing the hosts at one of the world’s iconic rugby stadiums in the quarter-final.
“It’s going to be a massive clash for the players and supporters and we are looking forward to it,” said the Bok coach.
“We’ve been working toward this World Cup since 2018 and now we can book a place in the semi-final, so we have to go out there and give everything.
“It’s do or die, so we have to be accurate in executing our game plan and we have to capitalise on our opportunities because the margins will be small.
“We know the match is going to be as intense as last year, if not more intense, and in that clash we had a red card and we were in with a chance to win it with three or four minutes to go, so we have to give everything for the full 80 minutes and ensure that we are extremely disciplined.”
Springbok team to face France in Paris:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 36 caps, 56 pts (4t, 9c, 4p, 2d)
14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 12 caps, 60 pts (12t)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 65 caps, 75 pts (15t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 75 caps, 50 pts (10t)
11 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 28 caps, 86 pts (13t, 3c, 5p)
10 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps, 80 pts (1t, 24c, 9p)
9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 29 caps, 60 pts (12t)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby) – 73 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 73 caps, 40 pts (8t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Racing 92) – 80 caps, 50 pts (10t)
5 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 70 caps, 15 pts (3t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 116 caps, 25 pts (5t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 66 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 65 caps, 65pts (13t)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (Ulster) – 80 caps, 10 pts (2t)
Replacements:
16 – Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers) – 10 caps, 10 pts (2t)
17 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 25 caps, 0 pts
18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 47 caps, 0pts
19 – RG Snyman (Munster) – 31 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 37 caps, 35 pts (7t)
21 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 52 caps, 48 pts (5t, 4c, 5p)
22 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 67 caps, 673 pts (7t, 94c, 145p, 5d)
23 – Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 90 caps, 75 pts (15t)