Mallett still backing Springboks for World Cup success

Both Ireland and Scotland will be in Pool B with the Springboks at this year’s World Cup in France, and all signs suggest it will be a challenging group phase before South Africa are likely to face either New Zealand or France in the quarter-finals.

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Writing in his column for Sport24, former coach Nick Mallett noted the improvement of the northern hemisphere nations, but still offered his backing to the Springboks.

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“The Bok game plan is based around set-piece dominance and territory as well as a suffocating defence,” Mallett wrote. “If Scotland decide to throw the ball around against the Boks, like they did against England, I don’t think they will get the same rewards and I don’t think we need to be concerned.

“There is a sense that this could be the northern hemisphere’s World Cup and that one of the countries will land them a first title in 20 years since England in 2003. I think that the northern hemisphere feels it is their turn to win again.

“They will look at Ireland and France as their most successful candidates for that, and the Boks have to play against them both.

“Going into this World Cup as champions, the Boks will have a massive target on their backs, but the way the Boks play is going to make it very difficult for teams to beat them, I think.

“I don’t see a side that can outmuscle a South African side – and, regardless of who the Boks face in the quarter-finals, I think they are in a strong position to win.”

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SPRINGBOKS’ 2023 FIXTURES:

Rugby Championship:

Saturday, 8 July – Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)

Saturday, 17 July – Springboks vs New Zealand (venue TBC)

Saturday, 29 July – Springboks vs Argentina (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)

RWC warm-up fixtures:

Saturday, 5 August – SA v Argentina (venue TBC)

Saturday, 19 August – SA vs Wales (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)

Friday, 25 August – SA vs New Zealand (Twickenham, London)

RWC pool fixtures:

Sunday, 10 September – Springboks v Scotland (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

Sunday, 17 September – Springboks v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)

Saturday, 23 September – Springboks v Ireland (Stade de France, Paris)

Sunday, 1 October – Springboks v Tonga (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

Weekend of 14/15 October – Quarter-finals

Weekend of 21/22 October – Semi-finals

Saturday, 28 October – Final

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