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Where South Africa hope to get an edge against France

By PA
Kurt-Lee Arendse of South Africa celebrates with RG Snyman of South Africa after scoring his team's second try during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between South Africa and Scotland at Stade Velodrome on September 10, 2023 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

South Africa assistant coach Mzwandile Stick hopes his team can draw on the experience of their victorious 2019 World Cup run when they take on France in Sunday’s quarter-final in Paris.

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The defending champions finished second in Pool B to set up a meeting with the tournament hosts in the last eight, a position which is not unfamiliar to the Springboks.

In 2019 South Africa faced hosts Japan in the quarter-finals before going on to win the competition and Stick says it is beneficial to have a “reference point” ahead of what he anticipates will be a “tight game”.

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“We are playing against France and we know they are also in a good space as a team,” he said.

“They have won all their games, they had a big game against the All Blacks in the first game of the group stage and did very well.

“The nice thing for us is we have been in this position before. In Japan in 2019, it was the same thing, playing Japan with all their supporters. It is the nature of the game in a World Cup, you have to go through the tough ones.

“At least we have a good reference point. We have been here before. Every game we play now, we can’t afford not to capitalise on the opportunities that are created.

“It is going to be a tight game. We are well prepared but we will see tomorrow. It doesn’t get bigger than this.”

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South Africa have brought Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok in at scrum-half and fly-half respectively, while Duane Vermeulen starts at number eight in place of Jasper Wiese.

The Springboks’ bench has a 5-3 split of forwards to backs for the second consecutive game, with Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard among the replacements.

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“We looked at the balance of the team. Having guys like Handre Pollard and Faf on the bench, if the game gets tight we have guys who can close the game for us,” Stick added.

“With Cobus and Manie Libbok as a partnership, form-wise whenever Cobus gets an opportunity he really plays very well for us and Manie Libbok has changed the way we play.

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“You can see how we play. The quality of the tries we have been scoring lately, they are good team tries.

“Manie Libbok is our general, he is playing very well for us and is a very, very confident player and deserves to be in the starting line-up. You can’t ask for any better playmaker to play behind.

“I think it will take the whole 23 players, it is going to be a tough one.

“As we’ve been saying all week, to us it is bigger than just a rugby game. We have 60 million people in South Africa that are hoping (for a win). Tomorrow at nine o’clock they will forget about all the problems in their lives.

“Everyone is on the one page and celebrating the moment in front of them, which is the Springboks when they are playing.”

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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