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The Springboks World Cup XV that has South African fans worried

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

A potential 2023 Springboks XV posted online has South African fans worried as next year’s World Cup approaches.

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The team shared by Twitter user Oom Rugby is almost exactly the same as the 2019 side that played the final.

The only changes to the starting side come in the front row, with Ox Nche in at loosehead prop for the retired Tendai Mtawarira and tighthead prop Trevor Nyakane replacing Frans Malherbe, who drops to the bench.

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The only other new face on the bench is Damian Willemse, who was part of the 2019 World Cup squad and takes the No 23 jersey from Frans Steyn.

The predicted team was met with disdain from Springboks fans, with some quick to conclude that having the same side does not bode well as history has shown.

The 1991 All Blacks were widely criticised for being too old, as coaches Alex Wyllie and John Hart tried to keep the ’87 champion team together. They subsequently suffered to a semi-final defeat to eventual champions Australia.

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Similarly, the world champion 2007 Springboks side went on a dominant two-year run after their World Cup success only to run out of puff by 2011, managing just one win from four games in the Tri Nations, including two losses to the Wallabies.

When they met a third time in the World Cup quarter-final, Australia completed a third victory to send the defending champions out of the tournament.

The All Blacks did manage to repeat as champions, claiming the 2011 and 2015 World Cup titles, but with a vastly different sides.

In the backs, Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Richard Kahui, Aaron Cruden and Piri Weepu all started against France in the 2011 final, but were replaced by Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Julian Savea, Dan Carter and Aaron Smith four years later respectively.

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There were also changes up front, with front rowers Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu replaced by Joe Moody and Dane Coles, while Brodie Retallick filled the void left by the retired Brad Thorn at lock.

Only seven starters from 2011 had retained their positions for the 2015 final, with over half the starting side changing over that World Cup cycle.

After seeing the potential 2023 Springboks team, South African fans made dire predictions for their side at next year’s World Cup in France on the basis of historical results from teams that have undergone minimal changes between tournaments.

Should this projected XV come to fruition, only three players be under the age of 30, and not one player would be under the age of 27, which would make it one of the oldest teams.

The projected ages for the starting forward pack in November 2023 would be Duane Vermeulen (37), Siya Kolisi (32), Pieter-Steph du Toit (31), Lood de Jager (30), Eben Etzebeth (32), Trevor Nyakane (34), Bongi Mbonambi (32) and Ox Nche (28).

In the backs: Willie le Roux (34), Cheslin Kolbe (30), Lukhanyo Am (29), Damian de Allende (31), Makazole Mapimpi (33), Handre Pollard (29), Faf de Klerk (32).

Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber made it clear last week that many of those players can make it to France, even Vermeulen, who will be the oldest member of the squad.

“We honestly believe Duane can still make France 2023. We honestly believe Pieter-Steph can still make 2023, we still believe Siya Kolisi can make France 2023,” he said.

“When I say, ‘We still believe’, that’s saying there aren’t big injuries; that’s saying they perform on the field and they do the main thing.

“The main thing is you must play rugby well on Saturday, so if they perform on the field and play like they are currently doing, we believe they can go to France 2023.”

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Comments

6 Comments
L
Lance 952 days ago

If this was even 2007 I would be worried regurgitating the same team but with the amount of player health, training and game stats available I think Rassie would have told the boys that if they cant meet their 2019 stats being that average run meters, ball steals or whatever trick made them first choice in 2019 then they wont be selected and will be covertly dropped with an alleged 'injury' with a fresh face. I would love to see a few new faces but feel that modern technology will help selectors make the right call come the final lineup for 2023.

p
pieter 953 days ago

Manne
Bly stil
Rassie het alles in die be planning..
Mnr Nienaber is te slim.
Hier Kom 'n Ding

B
Bob 953 days ago

Fortunately Oom Rugby is not a Springbok selector.
Nienaber is the coach but Rassie picks the team. Rassie had a rugby brain 2nd to none & he is all about getting results.
The Boks will be a force to reckon with in 2023

s
sean 953 days ago

Come on Sam you are better than this mate.. how is this even a news story.. some fan puts up a team for the World Cup and now it’s gospel.. I can already see about 5 changes in that line up by the time the World Cup comes round.. this is the exact time Rassie took over the boks before the last World Cup and his team from 2018 was very different to the team that took the field in the 2019 World Cup

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JW 2 hours 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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