Waiting game nearly over for Springboks’ nine standby players?

The Springboks have one final World Cup warm-up game against the All Blacks this Friday, and unless there is a serious injury, the original 33-man World Cup squad will head to France.

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It’s worth remembering that the only other way the likes of Handre Pollard or Lukhanyo Am – for example – could be called up is if there were an injury, or a case of a player being sent home due to breaching team protocols, or if they had to leave the World Cup for personal reasons, as examples.

Ultimately, though, it has to be noted that the Springboks cannot just call up a player without due cause.

Yet if there was an injury this weekend that required a change in the squad, keep in mind that there doesn’t have to be a like for like replacement. So, in theory, if a prop was injured, the Springboks could still gamble on calling up Pollard – for example – if they felt he was fit and ready.

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WHO IS ON STANDBY FOR THE SPRINGBOKS?

At the World Cup squad announcement, the Springboks confirmed that nine players would be placed on standby – five of whom travelled with the team for the two World Cup warm-up matches against Wales and New Zealand.

However, all these players will head home after this Friday unless there is a dramatic turn of events.

The nine players are Am (centre), Joseph Dweba (hooker), De Jager (lock), Jean-Luc du Preez (utility forward), Thomas du Toit (prop), Herschel Jantjies (scrumhalf), Pollard (flyhalf), Evan Roos (No 8) and Gerhard Steenekamp (prop).

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THE BOK SQUAD HAS AN INTERESTING LOOK TO IT