Springboks in much better space for current World Cup cycle

The Springboks are in a much better place at the start of the new Rugby World Cup cycle, looking ahead to the 2027 showpiece event in Australia, and they will be more prepared than they were for the last two events, in 2019 and 2023.

Despite having won the last two editions, in 2019 in Japan and in 2023 in France, the Boks‘ build-up to those two tournaments was not smooth sailing.

In 2018, just over a year before the start of the World Cup, Rassie Erasmus replaced Allister Coetzee as Bok coach, with the team in dire straits, but managed to turn things around as they stunned everyone on their way to the title in Japan.

Largely the same

With the coaching staff staying largely the same, as Erasmus shifted to the Director of Rugby position and Jacques Nienaber taking over as head coach, they were immediately set back by losing an entire year of international rugby to Covid in 2020.

However, this time round it seems that everything is in place for the Boks to finally have a smooth build up towards the next World Cup, in 2027.

“This is a lot easier for us than it was after 2019 (winning the World Cup), because we didn’t have a 2020 (season). I know I have said this a lot but we suddenly have 13 Test matches (this year) that we can juggle (and blood players),” explained Erasmus.

“In 2021 and 2022 at some stages we had to play completely different teams against Wales and Argentina (to give more players a run). Now we can filter players slowly into the system and see if they have what it takes.

“So where we lost (the whole of) 2020 and we couldn’t build a hell of a lot, we now have 2024 where we can build towards 2027, so it’s a much easier system to have than the previous World Cup cycle.”

Incoming Series

The Boks will flex their muscles this month in the Incoming Series against Ireland, starting Saturday, and Portugal, where they will look to give a few players a run as they build towards the Rugby Championship kicking off in August.

“Looking forward to the Rugby Championship, the young players who put up their hands against Wales and during the Incoming Series will certainly be looked at for selection,” said Erasmus.

A number of new laws have also came into effect for the international season, including one where a team can’t choose to scrum from a free kick anymore, but has to either tap or kick the ball, however Erasmus says the team is more than comfortable with the new laws, after they experienced them against Wales.

“It’s not something big for us. With the scrums I think there were two free kicks, one against us. So you just have to decide are you going to slow that free kick down and kick an up and under, or if you are in your 22m, are you going to kick it out,” explained Erasmus.

“Or are you going to quick tap, or if you are close to the tryline are you going to do a set move. But all of the new rules suit us. We still have a lot of scrums, a lot of penalties, the lineouts are still important. So we can’t moan about any of the new laws.”