The 2023 World Cup selection door is not entirely shut to players who are not in the immediate plans of the Springbok management team.
Cape Town – The 2023 World Cup selection door is not entirely shut to players who are not in the immediate plans of the Springbok management team.
But they will have to play out of their skins in the next few months to get a look-in from Bok coach Jacques Nienaber and his selection panel.
Much like scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies did in 2019 ahead of that year’s World Cup, other players striking red-hot form for their franchises could also be considered by Nienaber, SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and the Bok selectors.
Back then Jantjies impressed with his form for the Stormers and Western Province, so much so that he could not be overlooked by Erasmus who was the Bok coach then.
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He followed up his Super Rugby exploits with a brilliant Bok debut and Rugby Championship campaign that paved the way for his World Cup selection.
Nienaber said yesterday at his first Bok press conference of the year that form can very much still play a big role in selection.
“Take Herschel in 2019 as an example, he wasn’t on our radar in 2018 but through performance he got himself into the World Cup,” Nienaber said.
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“If you look at the players we have used over the last two years, you’ll probably get an idea of who is in the mix. But form can definitely influence selection. Performance will definitely help more than (a player) not performing.”
Fourteen Boks are currently in Cape Town partaking in the first national camp ahead of the World Cup in France.
The camp, which will run until 10 March, is for the majority of whom haven’t had a proper break from rugby since before the British & Irish Lions tour in 2021. On Monday the players started with field sessions.
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The Boks are currently monitoring around 60 players locally and overseas with the World Cup in mind. Only 33 players will be selected for the tournament.
For players like Stormers flyhalf Manie Libbok and his loose forward teammates Deon Fourie and Evan Roos, Nienaber’s words that the door is not shut will be encouraging. So too for Bulls loosies Elrigh Louw and Marco van Staden.
Fourie, Libbok and Louw made their Springbok debuts last year, but are currently behind a few other players in the Bok pecking order.
They have been performing week in and week out alongside players like Dan du Plessis and Ruhan Nel at the Stormers, and Grant Williams and Sikhumbuzo Notshe at the Sharks in this season’s United Rugby Championship.
Du Plessis, especially, is making a case for himself with his form in midfield this season and can’t be too far from a national call-up. Nienaber said he will name his first Bok squad for the shortened Rugby Championship only after URC and Champions Cup finals.
“They still have to play URC and EPCR.
“After that, we will have selectors’ meetings and then that (squad) will only be announced,” he said.
“I can’t think it will be announced before the European competitions come to an end.
“There will be injuries, and to name a squad and then rename again … We will probably leave it till late, as late as possible in terms of that.”
The final Bok squad for the World Cup will be announced in August on a date governed by World Rugby.
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