Springbok Rugby World Cup Squad 2023

The 2023 Rugby World Cup is just around the corner, and everyone’s talking about the Springboks, South Africa’s star rugby team. Fresh from their last World Cup wins, the Boks are set to show the world what they’re made of. As they gear up for a friendly match against Argentina, fans can hardly wait for the action to start!

Springbok Rugby World Cup Squad 2023

Springbok Rugby World Cup 2023 Squad

Here’s the list of 33 players for South Africa’s Springboks rugby team for the 2023 France World Cup.

The coach, Jacques Nienaber, picked the team, and there were some surprises because of players who couldn’t play.

Three key players, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am, and Lood de Jager, won’t be playing because they’re sick or hurt. So, the team chose four players who can play scrum-half and two who can play as tens, Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse. Jean Kleyn was also added to the team.

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Some of the players can play in more than one position. Deon Fourie can play as a back-row player and a hooker, while Franco Mostert can switch between the second and back rows.

Player               Position     Age  Caps
-------------------  ---------   ----  ----
Malcolm Marx         Hooker      29   61
Bongi Mbonambi       Hooker      32   58
Steven Kitshoff      Prop        31   74
Vincent Koch         Prop        33   44
Frans Malherbe       Prop        32   61
Ox Nché             Prop        28   19
Trevor Nyakane       Prop        34   60
Eben Etzebeth        Lock        31   112
Jean Kleyn           Lock        30   1
Franco Mostert       Lock        32   64
Marvin Orie          Lock        30   13
RG Snyman            Lock        28   26
Pieter-Steph du Toit Flanker     31   69
Deon Fourie          Flanker     36   5
Siya Kolisi (c)      Flanker     32   75
Kwagga Smith         Flanker     30   33
Marco van Staden     Flanker     28   12
Duane Vermeulen      Number 8    37   66
Jasper Wiese         Number 8    27   21
Faf de Klerk         Scrum-half  31   48
Jaden Hendrikse      Scrum-half  23   12
Cobus Reinach        Scrum-half  33   25
Grant Williams       Scrum-half  27   4
Manie Libbok         Fly-half    26   6
Damian Willemse      Fly-half    25   30
Damian de Allende    Centre      31   71
André Esterhuizen    Centre      29   12
Jesse Kriel          Centre      29   60
Kurt-Lee Arendse     Wing        27   10
Cheslin Kolbe        Wing        29   25
Makazole Mapimpi     Wing        33   37
Canan Moodie         Wing        20   4
Willie le Roux       Fullback    34   86

South Africa Rugby World Cup 2023 Schedule

The Springboks and Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, and Romania are in Group B for the World Cup.

Their first match will be against Scotland on September 10 at a stadium in Marseille, France. Once the group matches are over, the teams will go to the knockout stages.

DateOPPONENTTime (BST)Venue
Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023Scotland4:45 pmStade Vélodrome, Marseille
Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023Romania2:00 pmStade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023Ireland8:00 pmStade de France, Saint-Denis
Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023Tonga8:00 pmStade Vélodrome, Marseille

South Africa Rugby World Cup Pool Preview & Prediction

Predicting what will happen in Group B isn’t easy because anything can happen in rugby! But given how well the Springboks have played in the past and how strong their team is now, they have a good chance of doing really well, maybe even winning their group.

The toughest matches will probably be against Ireland and Scotland, but the Springboks are known for playing their best under pressure.

Also Check: How to Watch RWC 2023 in South Africa?

Springbok Rugby World Cup Past Performances & Records

The Springboks have a strong track record in the Rugby World Cup. Even though they couldn’t play in the first two tournaments because of a sports ban during apartheid, they’ve made a big impact since then. They won the Cup in 1995 when South Africa hosted the tournament, and again in France in 2007, and most recently in Japan in 2019.

The Springboks and the New Zealand All Blacks hold the record for the most tournament wins – three times each. What’s even more impressive is that the Springboks have won every World Cup final they’ve played in.

South Africa RWC Performance by Position:

YearRound
1987Did not participate
1991Did not participate
1995Winners
19993rd Place
2003Quarter-Finals
2007Winners
2011Quarter-Finals
20153rd Place
2019Winners

The South African rugby team did not participate in the first two Rugby World Cup tournaments in 1987 and 1991 due to international sporting sanctions imposed against the apartheid regime.

Wrapping Up

As the 2023 Rugby World Cup approaches, excitement is building for the Springboks. They’re all set to make their mark on the tournament with a top-notch team, a solid training plan, and their never-give-up attitude. We can’t wait to see the Springboks in action as they go for another World Cup title!

Note: Stay tuned for updates on the final team selection and more as the tournament gets closer.

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