RWC 2015 - South Africa: Statistically the best team in the tournament

South Africa enter the World Cup with a heavy weight of expectation surrounding them but little form to match. Winners in 1995 and 2007 makes them third favourites but the spectre of their 2011 quarter-final exit still haunts the team.

Poor results in the Rugby Championship and a shock loss at home to Argentina have upped the pressure on them but they are confident they can get the mix right this tournament.

Bryan Habana chasing a try scoring dream

Bryan Habana is undoubtedly the face of the Springbok team and loves crossing the chalk at Rugby World Cups. His 10 tries in previous tournaments puts him six shy of Jonah Lomu’s record and his 58 test tries for the Boks sees him only four short of the overall Test try scoring record, currently held by Japan’s Daisuke Ohatu.

Given the Japanese will try and contain a Bok onslaught in the opening game, Habana could quickly claim both records and underline his name as one of the best the game has ever seen.

Injuries, injuries and conditioning

Coach Heyneke Meyer has taken a good few gambles, allowing some critics to nickname the side the ‘Springcrocks’. They started the season with 19 injuries and a good amount of juggling and conditioning has seen the Boks head to England with almost all of these players declared fit.

But there is a big difference between fitness and match form, and this will determine the Bok campaign. Currently stars like Fourie du Preez, Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw, Jannie du Plessis, Victor Matfield and captain Jean de Villiers enter the tournament with no or little game time in the lead-up. Their form will be crucial to the team fortunes.

The Scottish breakdown

The Boks have taken an interesting route in the past few seasons, contracting former Scottish flanker Richie Gray as a breakdown consultant to help them navigate this delicate area that is so often the make or break factor in big games.

Gray has developed his own rucking drills and machines and works daily with the Boks to ensure they can both counter and become the best breakdown team in the business.

Experience of 2007 could be vital

Considering that eight of the squad – Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Jannie and Bismarck du Plessis, Bryan Habana, Ruan Pienaar and JP Pietersen – all lifted the trophy in 2007 and Burger and Matfield are heading into their fourth World Cup, the Boks have all the experience necessary.

Interestingly they have the most players over 30 and few players in their mid 20s with stars Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and Eben Etzebeth all between 20 and 23. For big tournaments, though, experience is vital and the Boks will draw on all of theirs if they make the playoffs.

The age old South African colour question…

Transformation, as it is called in South Africa, has been a major talking point before the team’s departure with unhappiness on both sides of the racial spectrum.

One white political party petitioned the British High Commission to complain about the forced quota of black players in the system, while the country’s largest black trade union launched a campaign against the Boks because there weren’t enough black players in the team. This has died down, but it lays dormant and can explode at any time.

Having to do it the hard way

Even though they may be consistently ranked in the top three of the world, the Springboks’ road to the final is littered with potholes. Their tricky pool presents potential pitfalls against Scotland in Newcastle and Samoa in Birmingham, and if they do as expected and win the pool, they face the runner up of the Pool of death, meaning a probable showdown with hosts England, Australia or Wales.

From there, if all goes per seeding, they face their old enemy, the All Blacks before they can even think of a final. In 2007 they may have won the World Cup as other teams fell by the wayside, but in 2015 they’re likely to have to do it the hard way.

Simply the best

Given the Boks only were invited to their first World Cup in 1995 because of the country’s political past, their record at the tournament is by far the best of any country.

Two tournament victories worth their weight in gold are one thing, but before this year’s tournament the Boks have 25 wins from 29 games, giving them a win percentage of 86.2%, the highest of any team in the tournament.

Conditioning the secret key

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer has spoken often that his team are not “fit enough.” A stickler for conditioning, Meyer has privately been working on a plan for them to be the fittest side at the World Cup, as often the tighter games come down to conditioning.

While part of the squad went to Argentina for a warm-up game, the majority stayed in Durban for three weeks of intense conditioning, something that could benefit them hugely as the tournament progresses.

Brenden Nel writes for Supersport in South Africa.