Springboks reload with Rugby World Cup champions for first Ireland test
FILE - South Africa’s Siya Kolisi tries to charge down a kick from France’s Antoine Dupont during the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal match between France and South Africa at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, near Paris Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. South Africa will start an entire XV of Rugby World Cup champions against Ireland in the first test on Saturday July 6, 2024 at Loftus Versfeld. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — South Africa will start an entire XV of Rugby World Cup champions against Ireland in the first test on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld.
The Springboks picked 20 of the matchday 23 from their World Cup squad in France late last year.
After beating Wales 41-13 in London 10 days ago, a game outside the World Rugby test window, the Springboks have brought straight into their side captain Siya Kolisi and backs Handre Pollard, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe and Willie le Roux.
Also, Leinster lock RG Snyman and Bulls flanker Marco van Staden have gone into the reserves.
Twelve of the XV started in the World Cup final win against New Zealand. Prop Ox Nche, No. 8 Kwagga Smith and le Roux came off the bench.
The only non-World Cup players were Bulls prop Gerhard Steenekamp, and Stormers lock Salmaan Moerat and utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Steenekamp’s only cap was last August off the bench against Argentina, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu made his debut against Wales.
The starting lineup has 966 caps, the second most experienced for South Africa after the 987-capped side for the World Cup final.
“This is the team we believe will give us the impetus we need against Ireland, who are the second highest ranked team in the world,” Erasmus said on Tuesday.
“We are blessed to have a lot of depth in our squad, and we are in a fortunate position to have several Rugby World Cup winners in our ranks who know what it takes to perform at the highest level.
“The fact that most of these guys have played together is a bonus for us, and most of them have faced Ireland before, so they are well aware of the challenge that lies ahead, especially since we haven’t beaten them since 2016.”
Ireland was the only team to beat South Africa at the World Cup, a 13-8 pool-stage thriller at the Stade de France. Ireland has since retained the Six Nations title. It has a second test against South Africa next week in Durban.
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South Africa: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Handré Pollard. Faf de Klerk; Kwagga Smith, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
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