PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 21: Handre Pollard of South Africa kicks their side’s third and winning penalty during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between England and South Africa at Stade de France on October 21, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Ramos – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
BREAKING: Pollard in, Libbok out for Springboks in World Cup final
Handre Pollard has replaced Manie Libel at flyhalf for the Springboks World Cup final clash against the All Blacks. Check out all the other changes made by Jacques Nienaber.
PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 21: Handre Pollard of South Africa kicks their side’s third and winning penalty during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between England and South Africa at Stade de France on October 21, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Ramos – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made only two changes to his starting team for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final, recalling the 2019 final halfback pairing of Handre Pollard and Faf de Klerk to the run-on side, making them the most capped nine-and-ten combination in Springbok history.
The pair start together for the 25th time, moving past Joost van der Westhuizen and Henry Honiball (24 Tests), to make them the most experienced halfbacks in Springbok history.
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ALL THE SPRINGBOKS’ CHANGES
They are among a starting team which features 10 players who started in the RWC final four years ago and is the most experienced in Springbok history with a combined total of 987 caps (eclipsing the record set the previous week against Egland of 895 Test caps).
A further four players on the bench also featured in the match-23 in the final at Yokohama Stadium, while 15 of the players in the squad appeared in the Springboks’ 35-7 victory the last time South Africa and New Zealand met at Twickenham in August.
Only two players in Nienaber’s forward pack did not start the 2019 final – lock Franco Mostert and prop Steven Kitshoff – with both playing off the bench four years ago. Mostert is paired once again with Eben Etzebeth, while Kitshoff partners hooker Bongi Mbonambi and prop Frans Malherbe in the front row.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit (both flankers) and Duane Vermeulen (No 8) will again unite in an impactful loose trio.
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In the backline, Pollard and De Klerk – who started on the replacements’ bench in the semi-final against England and the quarter-final against France – replace the duo of Manie Libbok and Cobus Reinach, who both drop out of the 23 to accommodate a split of seven forwards and one back on the bench.
The rest of the backline remains unchanged with Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel patrolling the midfield and the back three of Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse (both wings) and Damian Willemse (fullback) further sparking the backline.
No 8 Jasper Wiese and lock Jean Kleyn are drafted onto the bench, having been among the non-playing squad last week.
The only enforced change among the replacements is at prop where Trevor Nyakane replaces Vincent Koch, who is nursing a knee injury. He joins Ox Nche and Deon Fourie as front-row cover, while the Munster duo of RG Snyman and Kleyn will serve as the back-up locks, and Kwagga Smith and Wiese the back-up loose forwards.
The backline player on the bench is fullback Willie le Roux.
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HANDRE POLLARD IN AT FLYHALF FOR SPRINGBOKS
