Springbok Watch: Players In The Spotlight v France

Quintin van Jaarsveld identifies five Springbok players who’ll be in the spotlight in their World Cup quarter-final clash against France in Saint-Denis on Sunday night.

Bongi Mbonambi

As the only remaining specialist hooker in the world champions’ squad, Mbonambi’s one of their most important players.

Deon Fourie, who’s played most of his rugby at flank over the last few years, over-delivered in his first Test start at hooker in the 49-18 win over Tonga in the final pool game a fortnight ago, having 100% success with his lineout throwing and revelling in general play to earn the Man of the Match award.

However, France will put him under extreme pressure in the set pieces, like Ireland did when they forced a skew throw out of him at a crucial time when he came on as a replacement in the Pool B decider, so the longer Mbonambi manages to stay on the field, the better it’ll be structurally for the Boks.

Duane Vermeulen

Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber have gone with the experience of Vermeulen over the exuberance of Jasper Wiese at No 8.

It’s a smart decision with the veteran bringing grizzled physicality, added leadership and pilfering prowess as well as significantly higher rugby IQ and greater disciplinary dependability to the table than Wiese.

Set to retire after the World Cup, this could be the 73-cap legend’s last hoorah in the green and gold, so best believe he’ll do everything in his power to help keep the Boks’ title defence alive.

Cobus Reinach

Springing a surprise, the Bok coaches have opted to start Reinach in the No 9 jersey ahead of Faf de Klerk. It’s a curious call considering De Klerk’s long-standing status as first-choice scrumhalf and one that’ll play tricks on Fabien Galthie’s mind.

It’ll be the first time Reinach starts in a big game since the third and decisive Test against the British & Irish Lions, when De Klerk was unavailable, which the Boks won 19-16, and the clash against England at Twickenham, which the Boks lost 27-26, back in 2021, with the 33-year-old usually only featuring in the run-on side against weaker opposition.

South Africa’s leading try-scorer in the 2023 showpiece with four, Reinach offers greater pace from the base than De Klerk and arguably a bigger boot, which will be vital to try to counteract the bombs France captain Antoine Dupont (who’s sure to headline Les Bleus’ line-up) is renowned for.

It does come at a cost, though, as De Klerk – who features on a traditional 5-3 split bench – offers the Boks a left-footed kicking option.

Manie Libbok

In the biggest call of all, Libbok has been preferred at pivot ahead of Handre Pollard. It’s the ultimate show of faith in the 26-year-old, who’s been a project player since he forced his way into the Bok fold at the tail-end of last year.

Pollard made as good a comeback from injury as possible against Tonga, driving the team well, slotting all four of his kicks at goal and putting in a big shift in defence.

The Springbok coaches have resisted the urge to rush Manie Libbok into the run-on side and it’s unclear who’ll be burdened with the goal-kicking duties to start with.

However, in handing Libbok the keys, the Bok coaches are indicating they feel Pollard’s engine wasn’t sufficiently warmed up in his 50-minute outing against the Pacific Islanders, at least not for a much faster and more intense race against the World Cup hosts.  

Libbok, who also nailed all three of his kicks off the tee against Tonga, will have immense pressure on him in the goal-kicking department, and South Africans will hold their collective breath every time he goes for goal.

It stands to reason the Boks will play flatter with the mercurial playmaker at flyhalf, but he’ll also be asked to demonstrate tactical awareness and be accurate with his kicking out of hand.

To that end, he is ambidextrous and that could be why the Bok coaches feel confident in not having a left-footer in the starting XV.

Jesse Kriel

The Bok coaches have resisted the temptation to draft Lukhanyo Am, who was called up to the squad to replace the injured Makazole Mapimpi after the Tonga Test, into the run-on side.

In fact, the star outside centre will play no part in Sunday’s showdown, mostly likely due to a lack of game time having been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in the 24-13 win over Argentina in early August.

Though not the most dynamic player, Kriel has done a good job filling Am’s boots in the No 13 jersey since then with many Bok fans who’d still been cold on the 65-Test stalwart warming to him as a result and he has a huge opportunity to prove his worth in the do-or-die duel in Saint-Denis.

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt–Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Willie le Roux.

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.