Following the announcements of the All Blacks and Springboks matchday 23s for Friday’s Rugby World Cup warm-up clash at Twickenham, we pick out our talking points.
Ian Foster and Jacques Nienaber have both named experienced lineups, close to what we can expect at rugby’s showpiece event next month.
Both sets of 23s boast over 1,000 Test caps worth of experience as the two outfits ramp up their preparations ahead of their World Cup openers.
Experienced packs aim for fast starts
The last time the two sides met, the All Blacks raced into a 17-0 lead after just 16 minutes, thanks largely to the impact of their forwards, who were incredibly accurate at the breakdown and set-piece.
The Springboks will be looking to stop their fiercest rivals from doing the same again at the home of English rugby and have named an experienced pack to negate their counterparts’ impact.
Nienaber has arguably started his best front-row in Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Frans Malherbe while welcoming back Springbok centurion Eben Etzebeth at lock alongside 65-Test cap Franco Mostert. Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen combine in the back-row for the 13th time in a Test match, becoming the fourth most capped combination for the Boks.
Meanwhile, Foster has backed the ever-improving props of Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax on either side of the experienced Dane Coles. Sam Whitelock starts alongside the in-form Scott Barrett, with Sam Cane captaining the side. Cane is joined in the back-row by number eight Ardie Savea and blindside Luke Jacobson.
Across the two packs, Jacobson is the least capped forward with just 14, more than 10-times less than Whitelock’s tally.
The Boks boast 591 Test caps in their starting pack compared to the All Blacks’ 511.
So much of this edition of the rivalry will depend on either side’s success up front, and the quality and experience named in the starting XV shows that they will slog it out from the onset.
Battle of the 6-2 splits
That slog won’t die off in the second half, with both coaches opting to select 6-2 splits on the bench.
The tactic of loading the bench with six forwards is nearly synonymous with the Springboks nowadays, with it dubbed the ‘Bomb Squad’ during the 2019 World Cup, but it is new ground for the All Blacks.
We could not find an All Blacks Test teamsheet featuring a 6-2 split dating back to the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Is the move a nod to the Springboks’ power game up front? It seems that way, especially considering they are without Brodie Retallick and Shannon Frizell for the clash.
Regardless, this sets up a mouth-watering forward battle for a full 80 minutes.
Buckle up.
Springboks midfield the centre of attention
While the Boks have named an experienced forward pack, the opposite is true for their key players in the backline.
The likes of Faf de Klerk, Makazole Mapimpi, and Damian Willemse have tackled the old enemy numerous times before, but it will be a first for centres Andre Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie.
Moodie has featured predominantly on the wing or at full-back for the Bulls, and pretty much only in the 14 shirt for the Springboks. Until now.
It’s a huge show of faith for the 20-year-old as Nienaber looks at who can cover the 13 jersey in the absence of the injured Lukhanyo Am.
Moodie has looked unfazed by the pressures of Test rugby since he soared into the air, beating Marika Koroibete to the ball to speed away for his first Test try on debut last year.
Now he has the opportunity to prove himself in another position and one that saw him grab the headlines as a schoolboy.
He partners up with the excellent Andre Esterhuizen, nicknamed the ‘Agent of Chaos’. The abrasive centre gets his first crack at the All Blacks, with his previous 13 Tests coming against Wales, England, Argentina, Australia and Italy.
The pair front up against the combination of Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane, who have built quite the partnership over the past 12 months.
While the attention will be on how well Esterhuizen and Moodie go against the All Blacks, there will also be a close eye on Springboks’ pivot, Manie Libbok.
The playmaker enjoyed another standout performance with ball in hand against Wales, but it is off the tee where he is under pressure.
A solid kicking display at Twickenham will ease those concerns and may well be needed.
Luke Jacobson’s chance to shine, next step in Siya Kolisi’s recovery
Quite frankly, it is long overdue as Jacobson gets his first start in the All Blacks jumper this year after two appearances off the bench.
The back-rower was outstanding during the entire Super Rugby Pacific campaign but did not get a look-in throughout the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup Tests.
However, he gets the ideal opportunity this weekend to throw down a marker for future starting minutes as he fronts the mighty task of facing a Bok back-row containing Du Toit, Kolisi and Vermeulen. A big outing against the Boks could make it a real tussle for the number six jersey for the World Cup.
In the opposite jumper is Kolisi, who will be featuring in his second match since sustaining an injury against Munster in the URC, which looked destined to end his World Cup involvement.
The Bok skipper put in a standout 40-minute shift against Wales last week, and instead of wrapping him up in cotton wool and shipping him off to France ahead of schedule, the Springboks have named Kolisi in the starting XV for the blockbuster clash.
It’s just another step in his road to full fitness and provides the perfect test to see how close he really is to being back to his best with the World Cup opener against Scotland fast approaching.
This is not a warm-up match
“This is not a warm-up match for us; it is a Test match.”
Those were the words Etzebeth unequivocally stated on Tuesday after the Springboks had named their side, and after the All Blacks confirmed their teamsheet, it’s clear they feel the same.
While the commentary, pundits and fans might be looking ahead to the World Cup, the players won’t as they go hammer and tongs to get one over their rivals.
Yes, players might harbour thoughts of the tournament and how they can nail down a starting or bench role, but there is no better time to prove yourself than against the old enemy.
This is just the second time the All Blacks and Springboks have clashed at Twickenham, the first being the 2015 Rugby World Cup semi-final, and don’t be surprised if this game is like the last as the two outfits desperately look to get a victory in their final hit-out before heading to France.
READ MORE: Ardie Savea pays tribute to Siya Kolisi after ‘miracle’ recovery
The article All Blacks v Springboks: Talking points from the STACKED matchday 23s appeared first on Planetrugby.com.
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