SPRINGBOKS RWC Japan

A Springbok blend led by Siya Kolisi and combining youth with gnarled experience was on Monday confirmed to launch South Africa’s seventh assault on the Rugby World Cup title.

The squad naming was broadcast live by several national broadcasters in front of an excited audience at Multichoice City in Johannesburg.

The team departs to Japan on Friday.

The squad named by Mark Alexander, president of SA Rugby, features three players attending their third Rugby World Cup - Frans Steyn, Tendai Mtawarira and Francois Louw - and 12 players making their second expedition, providing a spine of experience.

Fourteen of the squad made their Test debut since the last tournament in 2015, while six of those have been capped in the past two seasons since Rassie Erasmus, director of rugby, took over the team’s coaching duties. The half dozen are Herschel Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe, Sbu Nkosi, Makazole Mapimpi, Kwagga Smith and RG Snyman.

There are five players with more than 50 caps - Eben Etzebeth, Willie le Roux, Louw, Steyn and Mtawarira - the latter being the most experienced played in the squad with 110 caps.

“I am very happy with the squad we have been able to select” said Erasmus.

“We have been developing this squad since the start of last season and in the 31 we have a good balance of established experience and some exciting youth.

“We set out with the goal of growing the depth of the squad and I am confident that any of this 31 can step into a play-off match at the Rugby World Cup and deliver an outstanding performance.”

The Springboks have given opportunities to 60 players in 18 Tests in the past two years to arrive at their 2019 combination.

All 31 - apart from Kolisi who only returned from injury nine days ago - appeared at some point in the Rugby Championship-winning campaign.

The squad is split between 14 backs and 17 forwards and only seven have fewer than 10 caps - Lukhanyo Am, Warrick Gelant, Jantjies, Kolbe, Nkosi and Smith.

“We’ve been working towards this moment for the best part of two years and we’ve been lucky in achieving most of our goals this season,” said Erasmus.

“We’ve been able to give everyone in the squad some good game time as well as develop combinations with squad rotation and not lose momentum as we go to the World Cup.

“But the results and performances up to now will mean nothing once we are in Japan. It is a case of back to square one; putting in the work on the training field and in the planning sessions to build on what we have achieved.”

The Springboks open their Rugby World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Yokohama on Saturday, September 21 before further Pool B matches against Namibia (September 28), Italy (October 4) and Canada (October 8).

It will be the first time the Springboks have met Namibia since 2011 and the first meeting with Canada since 2000. The Springboks have beaten Italy 13 times in 14 meetings and, after a long period of New Zealand dominance have restored some balance in the past four meetings - none of which was decided by more than two points.

“We have planned and trained to be competitive at the Rugby World Cup and the work we have done and the performances to date this year have put us into a good space,” said Erasmus.

“Rugby World Cups are usually decided by small margins - a foot in touch here or a referee’s call there - but we have a very good squad that has grown into a tight unit over the past few months and we have definitely grown stronger together.

“I’m sure I speak for the squad when I say we can’t wait for the games to begin.”

The top two teams from the Springboks’ Pool will face quarter-finals against the top two teams from Pool A featuring Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia and Samoa.

The Springboks will play a final warm-up match against Japan on Friday, September 6 in Kumagaya.

Springboks' 31-man Rugby World Cup squad:

Forwards (17)

Schalk Brits (Bulls), Lood de Jager (Bulls), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers), Eben Etzebeth (Stormers), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), Siya Kolisi (captain, Stormers), Francois Louw (Bath, England), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Lions), Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers), Tendai Mtawarira (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Gloucester, England), Trevor Nyakane (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Lions), RG Snyman (Bulls), Duane Vermeulen (Bulls)

Backs (14)

Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Damian de Allende (Stormers), Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks, England), Warrick Gelant (Bulls), Elton Jantjies (Lions), Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse, France), Jesse Kriel (Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), S'bu Nkosi (Sharks), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz, Japan), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints, England), Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France)

Trying to work out if anyone was unlucky?

I was worried that Mostert or Snyman would be left at home. But they are both so good. Glad to see them both there.

I do feel for Marcel Coetzee. He should start in every test for us.

he's quick. He's so strong and he is smart. we'll miss his presence.

Rooi, yeah man. I know.

Just saying it's such a pity.

Guys who could have been in this squad:

Gqboka 

Akkers (for Britz) 

Marcell (injury) 

Dyanti (injury)

Willemse before Gelant. 

Guys with question marks:

Frans, Kwagga, Gelant  Britz. All of whom may pleasantly surprise. 

Been...

I also feel for AKkers. But we gotta keep the politicians happy you know.

Willemse as a 15 at the world cup? Im not sure.

Gelant has proven himself in all facets. He deserves to be there.

Dyantyi would have been in my squad had it not been for his drug bust.

Gelant had one good game and one bad Flash. 

If Willemse is erratic so is Gelant. But Willemse has far more X  factor and covers 15 anf Flyhalf and even center. 

That mistake against NZ plus injury problems may have cost him. However to me he has more talent. 

Lood, Damian, Kolisi and Reinach shouldn't be there. That's a lot of baggage to carry into a big test. 

Nothing new from the Idiot Speake4r - who rates poor players as good and goof players as inadequate,   He is always a fool anyway,

I gave my reasons for the 5 selections I believe should not have been considered under another posting which was made while this one was being posted,   

I also would have preferred Willemse ahead of Gelant...good place kicker too...ah well, not that bad a squad.

Gelant outplayed Willemse at 15 in this year's super rugby. As a runner, he is more effective. He is a direct and more physical alternative to Willie. Nobody is going to replicate Willie's playmaking - the closest being the defensively frail Bosch, so I have no problem with Gelant. 

Now did he?  That is based on standard AO Idiot Speak - not so?   

Something equal to the BS that the 2015 team - losing all three matches - performed better than the team of 2019 winning the tournament with 2 wins and a draw.  LMAO    

Gelant has been iffy. Prone to brain farts too often and the Aussies had him grabbing at air.

It's about the best we have. I think he has potential though. Willemse hasn't been very good either. In fact, he has made worse mistakes. At Twickenham, he was impotent. Late last year I outlined the importance of Faf and Willie, I stand by those words now. 

Yeah we've seen very little of Willemse at test level, and certainly not much that i s conclusive either way.

A good side...I'm sure they will do well and it appears there is a very strong and united team spirit.

Heck I'm looking forward to this WC...so full of challenges, not only us but some revealing potentials on unknown factors from Wales, Argentina, Georgia and Japan. England have set intimidating standard of late and NZ must still be the one to beat, nevermind what's happened of late...perhaps even more dangerous with a damaged hiccup of late and maybe even Ireland will repair itself.

Seb

So am I - much like the 2007 WC.

Remember a funny incident in Montpellier,  Before the SA-USA match I went to a watering hole outside the stadium and met up with two SA supporters,  While we are having a few helpings of liquid kind - the French was playing the Irish,   So we were cheering the Irish,  A gentleman wearing the traditional French cap came over to us and asked why we support the Irish.   If the Irish wins we will end up playing  Argentina om the semi - otherwise we would have met the French in the semi.  We obviously would have preferred playing Argentina and not France.  He joined us for a drink and all problems solved - no hard feelings,

That was the game that that USA wing made Habana look as if he was crawling. .    

Ngwenya merely caught Habana cutting across the field with a step. It's very difficult to line up a tackle when you are running that kind of line, and exceedingly easy to use a step to get behind the defender. 

Wtf. is Britz in the team? He was barely a Bok before a lengthy sojourn overseas contributing sweet vokall to our rugby. Apart from a sweet throw-in action he's an ancient bog ornery hooker. His selection can only encourage our young talent to head abroad.

But Blob, Rassie is a genius who believes in youth. There are no geriatrics in his selections. 

This is weird.   What is the average age o this squad compared to that of the 2015 squad?   Another case where Idiot Speak reigns supreme.  

You missed the point stupid.   Habana was beaten in pace stooge        

No. He was beaten by the angle, had to stop, then turn around. It was from unstructured play, after the USA broken from an intercept in their 22. Habana cut across the field. 

Also, which 2015 team? They ranged from 26 to 28 years of age for the entire 23 match-day 23. The starting XV from 26 to 29. All peak years. Do remind me how old Brits is. First he was to weed out the geriatrics, now we have old man Brits, then Frans who was definitely not going to make it ahead of Willemse. This year's team is from 26-28. 

No dimness what was the average age of the squad of 2015?   At one stage as far s I can remember it was 31,5 years,  The fact is the unplayables - all above 30 years - caused havoc when it came to team selection,  In the Japan disaster the average age was over 30 anyway.   I did not check the exact figures recently, but will do so over the next two weeks,   

As to the Habana incident I can assure you that excuses will not help.   Habana was outpaced - end of story,   Everybody else realized it - but you cannot because of twisted illogic.          

Which wing at any age in world rugby at that time would have caught Ngwenya in that situation, and what did it matter? That much space for a guy who does a 10.5s 100m, not likely.

Brings to mind the excellent job vinnige Frans did to recover, pivot & ankle-tap the Argie flyer. What reflexes.

Simply stupendous, Blob An ankle tap in time saves blushes nine.

blobbok

Steyn had to do something in desperation after he cause the bugger-up anyway.   Useless he is and useless he will remain.