Bok coach Jacques Nienaber makes contingency plans for World Cup

Contingencies are high on the list of priorities for the Springbok team’s management as they fine tune the squad for their defence of the Rugby World Cup (RWC) later this year.

Though there is the popular belief that director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber more or less know the identity of the 33-man squad they will take to France, the coach said they are maintaining a watching brief on about 60 players this year.

While their selections over the past year have pretty much focused on developing a squad for the RWC, Nienaber and Co are also keenly aware injuries may bedevil their plans closer to the tournament. They need to establish a selection pecking order should the need arise to make late changes to their squad.

“The number of players we are looking at [for the RWC] is about 60,” said Nienaber.

The Springboks’ first camp of the year is taking place in Cape Town with just 14 players. Nienaber stressed the men assembled should not see that as a boarding pass for France.

“The biggest reason for this camp is that a lot of these players have not had a break since before the British and Irish Lions tour [in 2021].”

Though the franchises may have distinct thoughts on how it should be implemented, player workloads will be managed carefully this year.

The players assembled in Cape Town come off a three-week rest period and will stay in the Bok camp until March 10.

Nienaber said players who earn a living abroad will be exposed to alignment camps.

The coach will, of course, also have the opportunity to run the rule over players during this year’s abbreviated Rugby Championship that starts with the clash against the Wallabies in Pretoria on July 8.

Nienaber explained the squad for the Rugby Championship will only be announced after SA teams complete their commitments in the Champions Cup and the United Rugby Championship.

“I can’t imagine it will be before the competitions are concluded,” said the coach. “There could be injuries, so it makes no sense to name a squad and then have to rename it.”

The Champions Cup final is on May 20 in Dublin, and the URC final may take place in the same city a week later.

Apart from their three Tests in the Rugby Championship, the Springboks will also play RWC warm-up games against Argentina in Buenos Aires, Wales in Cardiff and the All Blacks in London.

They will arrive in France on August 27 and travel to Toulon where they will be based for the initial part of the tournament on September 2.

Their first match in the RWC will be against Scotland in Marseille on September 10.