The South Africa Rugby World Cup squad for the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand includes a 7-1 split on bench.

You may remember when the Springboks replace sevens forwards early in the second half of their hefty 35-7 victory over the All Blacks, in an August warm-up fixture at Twickenham. Well it’s back, with head coach Jacques Nienaber saying: “It could have been six-two, five-three. It is about the 23. You select a team that you think will get you the result.”

While the Boks have gone for this method, they have not selected a scrum-half on their bench.

Related: Bongi Mbonambi cleared to play in World Cup final

We also see Handre Pollard start at fly-half, following his match-winning kick performance in the semi-final against England, while there is no room for Manie Libbok amongst the substitutes.

Check out the full South Africa side here.

Springboks team to face New Zealand in the final

Damian Willemse; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Jasper Wiese, Willie le Roux.

South Africa Rugby World Cup squad 2023

FORWARDS

Props
Vincent Koch
Ox Nché
Frans Malherbe
Trevor Nyakane
Steven Kitshoff

Hookers
Bongi Mbonambi
Deon Fourie

Locks
Marvin Orie
RG Snyman
Jean Kleyn
Eben Etzebeth

Back-rows
Jasper Wiese
Kwagga Smith
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Duane Vermeulen
Siya Kolisi (captain)

Utility forwards
Franco Mostert
Marco van Staden

BACKS

Scrum-halves
Faf de Klerk
Jaden Hendrikse
Grant Williams
Cobus Reinach

Fly-halves
Manie Libbok
Damian Willemse
Handre Pollard

Centres
Andre Esterhuizen
Jesse Kriel
Damian de Allende
Lukhanyo Am

Back-three
Canan Moodie
Cheslin Kolbe
Kurt-Lee Arendse
Willie le Roux

Springboks Rugby World Cup Pool

South Africa have been drawn in Rugby World Cup Pool B alongside Ireland, Scotland, Tonga and Romania.

Sun 10 Sept South Africa v Scotland  (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)

Sun 17 Sept South Africa v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)

Sat 23 Sept South Africa v Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis)

Sun 1 Oct South Africa v Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)

The knockout stages will follow the same format as previous years, with teams from Pools A and B then Pools C and D meeting in the quarter-finals. So Wales and England could meet in the last eight, for example.

QF1 – Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
QF2 – Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
QF3 – Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
QF4 – Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B

Then the semi-finals will be the Winner of QF1 v Winner QF2 and the Winner QF3 v Winner QF4.

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