Defending champions South Africa are gearing up for the upcoming Rugby World Cup tournament in France, but they’ll have to face the challenge without several key players who are sidelined due to injuries. Handré Pollard, the Leicester fly-half, along with star center Lukhanyo Am, won’t be available. Additionally, Lood de Jager, the lock, will miss the tournament’s initial matches. However, there’s positive news as captain Siya Kolisi is fit and part of the squad.
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This experienced team boasts 21 players with prior Rugby World Cup participation. Handré Pollard, recovering from a calf issue, Lukhanyo Am, with a knee injury, and Lood de Jager, facing a chest problem, are on standby status. They can only join the squad if another player gets injured. With Pollard absent, Manie Libbok takes up the mantle of the primary fly-half.
Lukhanyo Am, a significant presence, is anticipated to be sidelined for around four weeks due to his knee injury sustained during a victorious match against Argentina in Buenos Aires. Jacques Nienaber, the head coach, lamented that time didn’t favor some of the true champions.
Despite these setbacks, the South Africa squad remains formidable. It consists of 19 forwards and 14 backs, with stalwarts like Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Eben Etzebeth, and Pieter Steph du Toit. . Rugby World Cup fans can buy Rugby World Cup Final Tickets from our website.
Duane Vermeulen, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, and full-back Willie le Roux all preparing to participate in their third RWC campaign. In the upcoming Rugby World Cup, the Springboks are making strategic changes due to injuries. Quin’s center André Esterhuizen will step in for the injured Am, while the promising 20-year-old Canan Moodie is also included in the squad. Nienaber acknowledged that injuries have influenced the final selection, a common aspect of the game.
Scotland’s Mixed Performance in Warm-Up Games:
He expressed contentment with the team’s preparation for the France Rugby World Cup journey. The Springboks will commence their campaign against Scotland in Marseille, with hopes of Kolisi’s return in the match against Wales in Cardiff the following week. Kolisi, who led his team to victory in Japan four years ago, sustained a significant knee injury while playing for the Sharks in April. His recovery has been underway after undergoing surgery.
Injury remains an ongoing concern for all teams as the tournament in France commences on September 8th. Italian center Tomaso Menon Cello is set for surgery this week due to a torn biceps tendon, ruling him out of the Rugby World Cup. Even England, who unveiled their squad on Monday, faces injury challenges. Jonny Hill, initially left out of the final 33, is now expected to play against Wales due to David Ribbons’ concussion last weekend. Ollie Chessum is not fully fit yet.
As the Springboks prepare for their opening game in the Rugby World Cup 2023, scheduled for September 10th in Marseille, there’s a sense of timing regret. It’s tempting to wish that their first match were against England rather than Scotland. During the recent Rugby World Cup warmup games featuring top-tier nations, Siya Kolisi’s team was either airborne or preparing to take off.
While they might have caught some glimpses of the England vs. Wales game at the airport, they would have been soaring when Scotland narrowly lost to France in St Etienne. Currently stationed in Europe, the Springboks have a couple of significant warm-up matches ahead before they clash with Gregor Townsend’s Scotland in Marseille. Scotland’s warm-up encounters against France displayed a mix of brilliance and shortcomings.
Captain Jamie Ritchie’s Return and Positional Changes:
Despite inconsistent performances, they managed to secure a win against the tournament hosts and the World No 2 team in their first match. However, they faced defeat in their second match against a stronger French team, succumbing to a late penalty. In contrast, England’s recent victory over Wales was secured in the final moments, as they rallied from a 17-9 deficit with just 14 minutes remaining.
This echoes their performance when they drew with the All Blacks in one of Eddie Jones’ final games in charge. England showcased their resilience when faced with challenging odds. However, the elation of that comeback in November was short-lived. In the subsequent week, they were heavily defeated by the Springboks, leading to Eddie Jones’ departure. Steve Borthwick has taken the reins since, but his team’s performance hasn’t shown much improvement. For more about Scotland Rugby World Cup Tickets.
They have struggled significantly and appear far from competitive. None of the top four contenders in this Rugby World Cup, including the Springboks, would likely face much difficulty against them. Scotland’s lineup sees six changes, including the return of Captain Jamie Ritchie. In the scrum-half position, Ben White, who has established himself as Gregor Townsend’s preferred choice in 2023, exited last Saturday’s victory against France with an ankle injury.
Ali Price has been selected over George Horne as his replacement. Despite a calf concern, Ritchie will start at blindside flanker in place of Matt Fagerson for the upcoming match. Darge will take over on the openside for Hamish Watson. Scotland’s center pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones is set to make its seventh appearance together in 2023. Notably, Darcy Graham, who displayed remarkable speed in last week’s impressive comeback against France, is not part of the 23-player squad.
Kyle Steyn and Duhan van der Merwe on Wings:
The back three will consist of Kyle Steyn and Duhan van der Merwe on the wings, along with Blair Kinghorn at full-back. Coach Townsend views this week as an opportunity to manage players’ playing time, given that Darcy Graham has participated in the previous two games. Townsend is confident that White’s injury won’t jeopardize his participation in the Rugby World Cup. Jamie Ritchie has returned to full training this week. Although he hasn’t played in any matches yet.
He has adapted well to the intense training sessions conducted this week. WP Nell made a notable impact off the bench in the previous week’s match and has maintained rigorous training throughout the pre-season, exceeding initial expectations. His fitness level is excellent, and he remains highly motivated to represent Scotland. Richie Gray and Grant Gilchrist will continue their partnership in the second row.
As Scotland focuses on preparation for the Rugby World Cup opener against reigning champions South Africa next month. The bench will consist of six forwards and two backs, with Stuart McInally, Rory Sutherland, and Javan Sebastian in the front row. Scott Cummings and back-row players Sam Skinner and Josh Bayliss complete the substitutes. As we’re aware, certain teams, possibly including our first Rugby World Cup opponents in South Africa, opt for a six-two-player split.
This presents us with the chance to observe its effectiveness, considering our adaptable backline,” Townsend emphasized. Following the match in St Etienne, Townsend faces the task of trimming another four players from his squad by Wednesday, narrowing it down to a 33-man selection for the France Rugby World Cup. A subsequent RWC game against Georgia at Murrayfield is scheduled for August 19th. France is assembling a lineup that closely resembles what might be seen as their primary starting XV.
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