The world champions, South Africa, will have to launch the defence of their title in France without a clutch of high-profile injured players including the Leicester fly-half Handré Pollard and star centre, Lukhanyo Am. The lock forward Lood de Jager will also miss the start of the tournament but the captain, Siya Kolisi, has been declared fit enough to be included in a squad containing 21 players with previous World Cup experience.
Pollard (calf), Am (knee) and De Jager (chest problem) have officially all been placed on standby but can now only be added to the squad in the event of an injury to someone else. Pollard’s continuing absence leaves Manie Libbok as the first-choice fly-half in the squad while the influential Am, who sustained a knee injury in the team’s 24-13 victory against Argentina in Buenos Aires, is expected to be out of action for the next four weeks.
“Time unfortunately ran out for some real champions,” the head coach, Jacques Nienaber, said.
The South Africa squad, which contains 19 forwards and 14 backs, still has a powerful look to it with Kolisi, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and the full-back Willie le Roux all set to feature in their third World Cup. The Quins centre André Esterhuizen will replace Am while the exciting 20-year-old Canan Moodie also makes the squad.
“Injuries have had a hand in the final selection but they are part of the game,” Nienaber said. “We are pleased with where we are going into this World Cup.”
The Springboks, who kick off their campaign against Scotland in Marseille, are hopeful, meanwhile, that Kolisi will return to action against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday week. The captain, who led his team to glory in Japan four years ago, sustained a serious knee injury playing for the Sharks in April and has been recovering from surgery.
With the Italian centre Tommaso Menoncello also due to have surgery this week on a torn biceps tendon which will rule him out of the World Cup, injury remains an ever-present threat for all squads with the tournament in France starting on 8 September. England, who announced their squad on Monday, are no exception with Jonny Hill, who missed out on selection in the final 33, poised to feature against Wales this Saturday because David Ribbans sustained a concussion last weekend and Ollie Chessum is still not quite back to full fitness.
The England head coach, Steve Borthwick, is also pondering how best to deploy his midfield options having decided Exeter’s Henry Slade is surplus to requirements. England could easily switch Owen Farrell to inside centre and reintroduce George Ford at fly-half but Borthwick has also open to the possibility of pairing Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence in a more direct-looking midfield.
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Whether or not England go down that route this weekend at Twickenham, Borthwick appears keen to take a look at some stage. “Yes, I think they can play together,” said the head coach, who sees Tuilagi slotting in at 12 with the less experienced Lawrence at 13. The latter, now at Bath, has had a stop-start international career but Borthwick sensed plenty of untapped potential in him during the Six Nations this season.
“He did really well before unfortunately having to go off in the France game with a hamstring injury. Ollie brings carry but he is also a very good defender. He rates exceptionally high as a defender on all the systems we use to analyse performances across the Premiership. We know Manu’s strengths and experience and I think they can play together in a specific way.”
There is certainly a growing trend towards bigger centres in world rugby. Wales paired George North and the 6ft 5in tall debutant Max Llewellyn on Saturday while New Zealand have successfully switched Jordie Barrett to 12. France have the massive Jonathan Danty at 12 and Australia would love to unite Samu Kerevi with the forceful Len Ikitau for their vital World Cup games.
