TOULON, FRANCE – Were the Boks holding back a few tricks against the world number one ranked team Ireland?
Former Irish loose forward CJ Stander believes Ireland will meet South Africa again in the final of the Rugby World Cup in France.
CJ Stander on his way to the Pool B clash between Ireland and South Africa on Saturday Pic: Adnaan Mohamed
Ireland beat the Springboks 13-8 in a closely contested Rugby World Cup Pool B match at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday.
The 33-year-old South African-born number eight, who played 51 tests for his adopted country, believes Saturday’s clash could be a dress rehearsal for the World Cup Final that will take place on Saturday 28 October at the same venue.
“Yes, it’s a mini final. That is exactly what it is. I’ve seen a lot of people make predictions and I’ve made a few predictions as well, but I am telling you now the winner of the World Cup will come from this game,” Stander said in an exclusive interview outside a restaurant in the heart of Paris on Saturday.
The former Bulls player says Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber are astute coaches who plan everything meticulously. Stander also believes the Springboks are the only team in the competition that has the player depth in their squad to go with a 7-1 split.
“All the South Africans know the forward pack that starts can play a proper 40 minutes and then bring on fresh legs. Yes, it’s risky, but Rassie is a very smart coach, and he knows what he is doing.
“I don’t think other teams can do it, because they probably don’t have the players. Kwagga Smith has been called a Swiss Army knife, so they have the players to do it. In 2019 Rassie and Jacques were thinking of winning the world Cup but they were always planning for this one.”
CJ Stander running to the Eiffel Tower in Paris Pic: Adnaan Mohamed
Stander moved to Irish province Munster from the Bulls in 2012 and, after qualifying via residency in 2015 and made his debut for Ireland in 2016. Besides his 51 caps for his adopted country, as well as one cap for the British & Irish Lions in 2017, he retired in 2021.
Like Stander, Bok locks Jean Kleyn and RG Snyman, who both played off the bench on Saturday also played for Munster. Kleyn joined Munster when Erasmus and Nienaber coached there in 2016 and 2017. The former Stormers second rower went on to play a whopping 136 games for Munster and five test matches for Ireland at the previous World Cup in Japan in 2019.
Stander believes the insight that the Bok coaches as well as Kleyn and Snyman have of Ireland, should give them an advantage when the two sides meet again in the final.
“They know the Irish team. They’ve played at Munster. Jean played for Ireland as well, so he knows the ins and outs and with Rassie and Jacques having coached there, I think it’s a bit of an advantage.
Springbok inside centre Damian de Allende – who also played for Munster – came up against his Irish counterpart Bundee Aki on Saturday who plays for Connacht. Both players had excellent games in the midfield, with Aki overshadowing De Allende on the day.
“To see those two boys going at each other is a spectacle in itself. I think the guy who dominates there … his team is going to win,” Stander said about the midfield battle.
And that is exactly what happened, with Aki producing a man of the match performance.
However, the question needs to be asked if the Boks were holding back a few tricks on Saturday.
South Africa’s strong point has always been their rolling maul from lineouts. On Saturday they chose to go for two long range penalties which were both missed by Faf de Klerk.
Normally their go-to-play would be to kick for territory and apply pressure from a lineout closer to the try-line. Looking at the tactics deployed, it was strange that the Boks deviated from their norm.
Captain Siya Kolisi’s charges must still beat Tonga on Saturday to make the play-offs.
And if the defending champions go all the way and Stander’s prediction becomes a reality, they will in all likelihood meet Ireland again in the final.
