Rugby World Cup: South Africa Name Squad To Deploy Threat Against New Zealand
18th September 2019
He will roll out the same side that thrashed Japan in their final warm-up match before the tournament, a line-up that had only one change from the team that drew 16-all with New Zealand last month when Siya Kolisi was injured
- South African coach Rassie Erasmus predictably named his number one side on Thursday to face New Zealand in the marquee clash on the opening weekend of the World Cup
- Between them, the Springboks and All Blacks have won five of the eight World Cups and Erasmus has been quite open about the game plan needed to take down his arch-rivals in their Pool B clash at Yokohama on Saturday
TOKYO, Japan- South
African coach Rassie Erasmus predictably named his number one side on Thursday
to face New Zealand in the marquee clash on the opening weekend of the World
Cup.
He will roll out the same side that thrashed Japan in their
final warm-up match before the tournament, a line-up that had only one change
from the team that drew 16-all with New Zealand last month when Siya Kolisi was
injured.
Between them, the Springboks and All Blacks have won five of
the eight World Cups and Erasmus has been quite open about the game plan needed
to take down his arch-rivals in their Pool B clash at Yokohama on Saturday.
Against Japan, Springbok halves Faf de Klerk and Handre
Pollard spent much of the time kicking the ball away so the South Africans
could rehearse their defensive lines ahead of the sustained periods of attack
they expect from the All Blacks.
"We've picked our best side," Erasmus said.
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"It's going to be a massive challenge with the rain
they're predicting. Everyone's talking about the slippery ball and the wetness.
Kicking is going to play a big part."
Erasmus believed his backline -- with a speedy outside trio
of Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi -- would match whoever the
All Blacks put up but the crunch area would be how his bigger forward pack
handled the breakdown in the humidity as the game wore on.
"We've been working really hard on that over the last
six or seven Test matches. It will be a massive challenge."
With Kolisi restored to full health he will form a powerful
loose forward trio with Duane Vermeulen and Pieter-Steph du Toit, with the
tight five of Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx and
Steven Kitshoff adding muscle.
South Africa (15-1)
Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de
Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Duane Vermeulen,
Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt); Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth; Frans
Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Francois Louw,
Herschel Jantjies, Francois Steyn, Jesse Kriel