The Springboks line up for the anthem. Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

The Springboks line up for the anthem. Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

Road to the Rugby World Cup: Could Springboks squad look like this?

With exactly 200 days to go until the 2023 Rugby World Cup, we predict what the Springboks’ 33-man squad could look like.

The Springboks line up for the anthem. Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

The Springboks line up for the anthem. Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

The Springboks have officially kicked off their 2023 World Cup preparations with a three-week physical and rugby development camp in Cape Town, which began on Sunday.

The camp will involve a series of off-field alignment sessions as well as on-field training sessions to prepare the players for the remainder of the season from a rugby and physical perspective.

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As it stands, the Springboks are apparently keeping track of around 45 players before trimming the group to 33 for the global showpiece. Ultimately, it’s still early days, and there is plenty that could happen between now and then as players jostle to book their tickets to the World Cup.

Interestingly, there are now exactly 200 days to go until the World Cup, and so we have put on our selectors hat and attempted to make an early prediction of what the squad could look like.

There are standout newcomers such as Kurt-Lee Arendse, Ox Nche, Jaden Hendrikse and Evan Roos who we believe could be added to the group, while the likes of RG Snyman and Elton Jantjies may be the big names to miss out.

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COULD THE SPRINGBOKS’ SQUAD LOOK LIKE THIS?

Forwards (19)

Props: Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane

Hookers: Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Deon Fourie

Locks: Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Salmaan Moerat, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie

Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Evan Roos, Duane Vermeulem

(*Keep in mind Mostert and Fourie can also provide utility loose-forward cover)

Backs (14)

Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach

Flyhalves: Handre Pollard, Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok

Centres: Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel

Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Frans Steyn

(*Keep in mind Steyn and Willemse can cover inside centre, while Willemse can cover fullback)

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2023 FIXTURES:

Rugby Championship:
Saturday, 8 July – Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
Saturday, 15 July – Springboks vs New Zealand (Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland)
Saturday, 29 July – Springboks vs Argentina (Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg)

RWC warm-up fixtures:
Saturday, 5 August – Springboks v Argentina (Buenos Aires)
Saturday, 19 August – Springboks vs Wales (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
Friday, 25 August – Springboks vs New Zealand (Twickenham, London)

RWC fixtures:
Sunday, 10 September – Boks v Scotland (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)
Sunday, 17 September – Boks v Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
Saturday, 23 September – Boks v Ireland (Stade de France, Paris)
Sunday, 1 October – Boks v Tonga (Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

Weekend of 14/15 October – Quarter-finals
Weekend of 21/22 October – Semi-finals
Saturday, 28 October – Final

Springboks face All Blacks Haka in Rugby Championship
South Africa face the All Blacks’ Haka in the Rugby Championship. Photo: PA.