All rugby fans around the world are counting down the days until the beginning of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. All the top rugby union teams in the world will gather in Paris for the kickoff of the opening match between the French national team and the All Blacks.
The first rugby betting odds are out – and they don't look too good for the defending champion South African national team – the bookmakers expect New Zealand and France to perform better. This begs the question: do the Springboks have a chance to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup?
2007 all over again?
The 2007 edition of the Rugby World Cup was hosted by France, with the opening match played at the Stade de France stadium, just like this year. The Springboks were in Pool A, along with England, Samoa, Tonga, and the United States. The South African team won its pool, facing Fiji in the quarter-finals – New Zealand was knocked out by France at the time. In the semifinals, the Springboks met and defeated Argentina, proceeding with the final against England – and they won. Legendary player Percy Montgomery earned 105 points in the tournament, becoming the top scorer of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
One of the most respected rugby nations
South Africa has become one of the most respected rugby nations in the world thanks in large part to its performance at the World Cup. The Springboks have three titles under their belt, one of them being the above-mentioned victory in France, in 2007. Their most recent success was the victory against England's national rugby union team at the 2019 event in Japan.
South Africa's Springboks have legendary power and physicality, backed by a powerful playing style and a defence that's hard to overcome. And they have Handré Pollard, who is fully recovered and eager to join the team for the upcoming World Cup matches.
Tough opponents to overcome
The Springboks will have a bunch of tough opponents to overcome in this year's Rugby World Cup. With three World Cup titles under their belt, the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, will certainly try for a fourth title. And they have every chance to be successful. While they did have a bad run lately, they bounced back in form, with one draw and ten wins recently.
Host nation France is one of the most successful teams in the history of the World Cup, qualifying for the knockout stage at every edition since 1987, reaching the quarter-finals in 2019. Since then, under the leadership of Fabien Galthié, the team has won 29 matches and lost only 7, which makes him the most successful manager in the history of the sport in France.
And Ireland is currently the #1 ranked team in the world, as a result of their 2023 Six Nations win under the management of Andy Farrell. Irish rugby is at its peak, with the team even ticking off beating the All Blacks back in New Zealand on their bucket list.
Can the Springboks Win?
South Africa is the second most successful team in the history of the World Cup, with three wins and two podium finishes under their belt since 1995. They did lose to the All Blacks during the Rugby Championship but beat both Argentina and Australia. And most recently, the Springboks “destroyed” Wales in the World Championship warmups. So, we can conclude that yes, the South African team does have a chance to win its fourth title – but it won't be an easy task, not by far.
