Bok team to face Scotland: Take-aways and talking points

The Springbok team to face Scotland in the first match in Pool B of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in Marseille on Sunday was named on Wednesday evening.

It is a team packed with power up front and skill and pace at the back; a matchday squad that has well over 1,000 Tests between them.

Key selections

The biggest surprise is the inclusion in the starting team of Jasper Wiese ahead of Duane Vermeulen at No 8, and Damian Willemse ahead of Willie le Roux at fullback.

One must assume Bok coach Jacques Nienaber wants the experience of Vermeulen and Le Roux on the bench to use later in the game in Marseille. The Boks have, after all, picked a 6-2 bench split between forwards and backs, and will look to hurt Scotland in the latter stages.

RG Snyman and Marco van Staden (in place of the man with the X-factor, Kwagga Smith) will bring energy and power in the second half, along with the full front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Trevor Nyakane.

Grant Williams, who covers scrumhalf and wing, won the race between all the No 9s to be the Boks’ back-up nine for this match, with Le Roux able to cover 10, 12, 13 and 15.

Other notable picks

Kurt-Lee Arendse has been picked to start because hot-shot Canan Moodie has a hamstring niggle, while Damian de Allende beat off the challenge of Andre Esterhuizen for the No 12 jersey for this match.

Franco Mostert, in the absence of the injured Lood de Jager, has also been picked to run the lineouts from the No 5 lock position, following his excellent showing against the All Blacks at Twickenham.

It is also interesting to note that coach Jacques Nienaber has now opted to rather start Test matches with hooker Malcolm Marx and use Mbonambi off the bench, in a role-reversal from the 2019 World Cup.

Interesting facts

The total number of caps in the Bok starting team is 815, while on the bench there are a further 349 caps.

The Boks and Scotland have faced each other twice before at a World Cup, in 1999 the Boks won 46-29 in Edinburgh, and in 2015 the Boks won 34-16 in Newcastle.

Faf de Klerk will earn his 50th Bok cap on Sunday.

And, finally, every player in the Bok starting team this week has scored a Test try.

Springbok team:

Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff

Bench: Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Duane Vermeulen, Grant Williams, Willie le Roux