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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 935 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 936 days ago

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

B
Bob 936 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 936 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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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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