Springboks name 33-man Rugby World Cup squad with key trio missing

The Springboks have been dealt a triple blow ahead of the World Cup, with Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am and Lood de Jager not named in their 33-man squad.

The trio haven’t been included in Jacques Nienaber’s group, with fly-half Pollard and centre Am ruled out through injury and lock De Jager due to an illness.

News of their absence was rumoured earlier today, but it has now been confirmed that the 2019 World Cup champions will be without three influential stars.

One recognised fly-half

Pollard’s absence means that Manie Libbok is the only recognised fly-half in the squad, with Damian Willemse offering backup in that area for South Africa.

Strangely there are four scrum-halves named in the 33, with Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Grant Williams and Cobus Reinach making the plane for France.

Props Frans Malherbe and Trevor Nyakane, lock Eben Etzebeth, loose forwards Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen, centres Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, and full-back Willie le Roux will feature in their third World Cup tournaments and are among a large group of players who were members of the 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning squad.

Also returning from 2019 are Steven Kitshoff and Vincent Koch (props), Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx (hookers), RG Snyman (lock), Kwagga Smith, (loose forward), Franco Mostert (utility forward), De Klerk and Reinach (scrum-halves), Willemse (utility back), Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi (wings). As well as Jean Kleyn, who represented Ireland at the tournament in Japan.

Making their first appearance at a Rugby World Cup are Ox Nche (prop), Marvin Orie (lock), Marco van Staden and Jasper Wiese (loose forwards), Deon Fourie (utility forward), Hendrikse and Williams (scrum-halves), Libbok (fly-half), Andre Esterhuizen (centre), Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie (outside backs).

Hard selection calls

“This was one of the hardest selections we have ever had to make,” said Nienaber.

“Any of the 42-man training squad would do a great job, but injuries have played a part in the final selection, and time unfortunately ran out for some real champions.

“However, we said from the outset that we wanted to name the best 33 players for the World Cup, and after giving 38 players a run in the last four Tests we are pleased with the make-up of the group, and we know we have proper depth in each position.

“We’ve picked a squad with a bunch of the players who can also cover alternative positions, which we’ll need in a very tough World Cup.

“We were in a great position this year to have so many players knocking on the door for selection, but unfortunately, we could only select 33. Injuries have had a hand in the final selection, but they are part of the game, and we are excited about the quality of the players who can step in and perform at World Cup level – as many of the players who featured against Argentina showed last weekend.”

Nienaber also announced that nine players would be placed on standby – five of whom will travel with the team to Cardiff and London for their last two World Cup warm-up matches against Wales (August 19) and New Zealand (August 25).

The nine players are Am (centre), Joseph Dweba (hooker), De Jager (lock), Jean-Luc du Preez (utility forward), Thomas du Toit (prop), Herschel Jantjies (scrum-half), Pollard (fly-half), Evan Roos (number eight) and Gerhard Steenekamp (prop). The five travelling to the UK on Saturday are Dweba, Du Toit, Du Preez, Pollard and Am.

Nienaber said: “Since Rassie (Erasmus – SA Rugby Director of Rugby) and I returned to South Africa in 2018, we’ve been building to the 2023 World Cup, and we are pleased with where we are, going into this World Cup.

“The coaches and players have put in a helluva lot work in the last few years, and we have the luxury of naming a squad that features a big group of players who know what it takes to win a World Cup and who will enter the tournament with vast international experience.

“The younger players have also showed in the last two seasons that they can match some of the top players in the world, so we believe we are better prepared as a team going into this tournament.

“We still have two warm-up games left and a road to travel to build player combinations and fine-tune the areas of our game that we feel we need to improve on, so we are by no means the final product at this stage.”

South Africa will launch their Rugby World Cup title defence on Sunday, September 10, against Scotland in Marseille, which will be followed by pool matches against Romania in Bordeaux (September 17), Ireland in Paris (September 23) and Tonga in Marseille (October 1).

🇿🇦 Here's the Springboks squad for the Rugby World Cup. #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/D24vemm6p8

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) August 8, 2023

Springboks squad for Rugby World Cup

Forwards: Ox Nche, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman, Marvin Orie, Jean Kleyn, Marco van Staden, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen, Jasper Wiese, Deon Fourie, Franco Mostert

Backs: Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach, Manie Libbok, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie, Makazole Mapimpi, Willie Le Roux, Damian Willemse

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