South Africa

Along with Australia, South Africa are the most successful side at the Rugby World Cup, since they have been included in the competition. South Africa has two Rugby World Cup Championships under their belts, in 1995 and more recently in 2007. What is worrying for the other sides is that leading into the 2011 Rugby Union World Cup, South Africa are looking very strong indeed. What is somewhat unusual at this point is that the traditional strength in the forwards is also complemented by world class players in the backs. This is a fearsome team and opponents will be worried about taking on such team of champions that has also lately been performing as a champion team.

South Africa in the 2011 Rugby Union World Cup

South Africa has a very strong forward pack, but has recently struggled with including captain John Smit. He was the starting number 2 at the 2007 World Cup, but is now only sometimes playing in that position. Instead he has been shuffled to prop in favour of introducing a better, and younger hooker than Smit is now. Whenever a team tries to reshuffle players at this level it never seems to work that well. We wonder just how much this tactic is affecting the side. It is important to have a strong captain, and Smit is certainly this and very experienced. But he is not a world class prop, and never has been. Fortunately for the African side he may be able to hold his own and the other players carry him to victory. In addition, Victor Matfield was the best lock in the game. But he may not be any more. He is being challenged and we wonder just how close to the top he is in 2011. His man at arms, Bakkies Botha is also getting a bit long in the tooth and injuries have plagued him in 2010. Will he be fit and ready in 2011 for one more Rugby World Cup Campaign before being put out to pasture? The spirit of this team and these players cannot be questioned, and they will give it everything they have. Will it be enough?

Rugby Union World Cup 2011 – South Africa

These concerns however, are more than compensated for by the strength of this side in other positions. Pierre Spies at number 8 is the best number 8 in the world bar none. Size, pace, agility, and excellent ball skills make him the mark by which every other number 8 in the world is measured. To be fair, he tops all of them. Henrich Brussow is also a very strong player who showed a lot talent early on in his career, but has struggled with rule changes being penalised frequently, and recently injury. If he can find form, the loose forward trio of the South African side are world beaters. This is even more the case when Schalk Burger is considered. He is a tower of strength and probably the best number 6 in the game until recently when Jerome Kaino started to live up to his billing in the early years.

South Africa Rugby Union World Cup History

Bryan Habana is the star of the South African back line, and with his speed, ball skills, tenacity and talent, why shouldn't he be? This is a player to watch, and he will be very near or at the top of the try scoring tally come the end of the Rugby World Cup 2011 for sure. A great finisher, Habana has developed more skills since he left the Blue Bulls in the Super 14 and had to play more rugby in a team less star studded than the boys from Pretoria. Morne Steyn and Ruan Pienaar in fly half or number 10 are both strong contenders and it is in this area that South Africa really stand out from the other sides at the 2011 Rugby World Cup - depth. They have so many great players in so many positions that it is all but a certainty that this team will feature in the finals. Whoever ends up on the same side of the draw as the South Africans had better watch out!

South Africa and the Rugby Union World Cup

South Africa are a very strong side and they will be in the final mix for sure. It is our view that South Africa are, objectively and without any bias, they team that is most likely to win the Rugby World Cup in 2011. This would make an unequalled 3 world cups for South Africa. We believe that this Rugby superpower has now completely come out from the wilderness and is ready to show to the world the depth it has in the game, and is most strongly poised to win the Rugby Union World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.