Does Moodie start? Is this now the toughest Springboks selection?
The Springboks coaches will have a serious selection headache as they consider who should start on the wings at the World Cup.
After a brief training camp in Corsica, the Springboks team will begin their World Cup title defense on Sunday, 10 September, against Scotland in Marseille.
This past Friday night, the Springboks claimed a resounding win over the All Blacks in their final warm-up game, and although many questions were answered, there also now some selection conundrums that have arisen.
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Andre Esterhuizen was outstanding at inside centre and a real case could be made for him to challenge Damian de Allende for the No 12 jersey, while the enforced ‘bomb squad’ bench adjustment that saw seven forwards and one back selected may have really got the coaches thinking.
However, there is no doubt that prior to the World Cup, the one player who has put his hand up for selection more than anyone else is Canan Moodie.
The 20-year-old has been simply sensational every time he has pulled on a Bok jersey this year, and when considering what good form he is in, the coaches will surely want to see him in their matchday squad for the big World Cup games.
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It’s unlikely that Moodie will be considered at outside centre so early in his career, but the debate will be over whether he should start on one wing, or be used off the bench as a utility impact player.
If he does start on one wing, the coaches will have to decide between Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Makazole Mapimpi on the other berth out wide.
All in all, it’s certainly a healthy Springbok selection headache that has developed.
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South Africa will launch their Rugby World Cup title defence on Sunday, 10 September, against Scotland in Marseille, which will be followed by pool matches against Romania in Bordeaux (17 September), Ireland in Paris (23 September) and Tonga in Marseille (1 October).
The Rugby World Cup quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of 14/15 October, with the semi-finals on 20/21 October and the final on Saturday, 28 October.
SPRINGBOKS RUGBY WORLD CUP SQUAD:
FORWARDS:
Props: Steven Kitshoff (Ulster – 74 caps, 10 points), Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks – 45 caps, 0 points), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers – 61 caps, 5 points), Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks – 19 caps, 0 points), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92 – 61 caps, 5 points).
Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks – 60 caps, 60 points), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears – 61 caps, 75 points).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks – 112 caps, 25 points), Jean Kleyn (Munster – 2 caps, 0 points), Marvin Orie (Perpignan – 14 caps, 0 points), RG Snyman (Munster – 26 caps, 5 points).
Loose Forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz – 69 caps, 30 points), Siya Kolisi (captain – Racing 92 – 75 caps, 45 points), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs – 33 caps, 25 points), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls – 12 caps, 0 points), Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby – 68 caps, 15 points), Jasper Wiese (Leicester – 22 caps, 5 points).
Utility Forwards: Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 0 points), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat – 65 caps, 15 points).
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BACKS:
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles – 48 caps, 44 points), Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks – 12 caps, 12 points), Cobus Reinach (Montpelllier – 25 caps, 45 points), Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks – 4 caps, 0 points).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 45 points), Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers – 31 caps, 36 points).
Centres: Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights – 72 caps, 50 points), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins – 13 caps, 0 points), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles – 61 caps, 60 points).
Outside Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls – 9 caps, 50 points), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath – 25 caps, 81 points), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls – 86 caps, 65 points), Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks – 38 caps, 115 points), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls – 6 caps, 10 points).
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