The Rugby World Cup in France is about to get real, with the world’s two top teams colliding in Paris at 9pm on Saturday night for the right to be called the world’s best.
That honour currently belongs to Ireland, but victory for the world champions in this Pool B clash will see them overtake coach Andy Farrell’s men and bump them down to third place.
More importantly, the winner of this clash will in all likelihood top the pool at the end of the first round and then face the second-placed team in Pool A.
🔜![CDATA[]]>🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦#RWC2023 | #RSAvIRE | @Springboks pic.twitter.com/ZkmDVEcAnJ
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 21, 2023
Ireland enter the match on the back of a 15-match winning streak and count South Africa among their scalps, having beaten captain Siya Kolisi and his brasse 19-16 in November last year.
It’s a run that has seen them hold on to top spot in the rankings for the last 14 months.
South Africa, meanwhile, have built up some momentum themselves and have won the last six matches they played in.
But SA coach Jacques Nienaber, who welcome back fit-again lock Eben Etzbeth for the clash with current World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier and his teammates, knows this one will be different.
Ireland have named an unchanged pack to take on the #Springboks in Paris on Saturday - more here: https://t.co/QXvJ4q1Al9 🍀
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 21, 2023
He says: “They [Ireland] are the number-one team in world, they are a quality outfit. We don’t think there are a lot of weaknesses in their game and, this is probably one of the games you want to play in – the number one in the world playing the world champions.”
Springboks: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff. Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Kwagga Smith, 23 Cobus Reinach.