Bok coaches are under pressure to get their selections right for the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in Paris this Saturday.
South Africa director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus talks to Bok coach Jacques Nienaber during a warm-up for their World Cup match against England at Stade de France on 21 October 2023.
That may have been true at the start of the tournament, when star hooker Malcolm Marx was still in tow. Since his tournament-ending injury, however, the front-row resources have been stretched to the limit. South Africa need Mbonambi to face the All Blacks – for a couple of reasons. He has been one of the Boks’ most important players for some time, and since Marx’s exit has become the most indispensable player in the squad.
Manie Libbok during the World Cup semifinal against England at Stade de France in Paris on 21 October 2023. Mbonambi played 64 minutes against Ireland, before making way for Fourie in the final stages. The first-choice hooker was given a rest thereafter, as Fourie and Van Staden were deployed in the front row against Tonga.
The Boks need Mbonambi to set the tone at the set pieces this Saturday. Whether he can last 70 to 80 minutes is another story, and that uncertainty may influence the Bok coaches’ other selections, particularly on the bench. Pollard is more suited to a wet-weather approach, but the decision to start him may come with its own set of risks.
Erasmus and Nienaber don’t like to take chances. They will consider all of the factors before making this call. Marx’s injury, Pollard’s return and Libbok’s inconsistent goal-kicking, of course, have all contributed to a rethink. Since the match against Tonga, the coaches have persisted with a 5-3 bench to accommodate Pollard among the reserves.The Boks favoured a 7-1 split between forwards and backs in the most recent clash against the All Blacks in London.
The performance of the Bok bench will be decisive. The Boks have one of the world’s best players in RG Snyman among their reserves. If the coaches opt for a 6-2 split, they will have to decide whether to include an extra lock or loose forward. Jean Kleyn had a massive game against the All Blacks in London, but so did reserve loose forwards such as Van Staden and Kwagga Smith.
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