England v South Africa semi-final: Rugby World Cup 2023 match preview, team news, kick-off time

2023 Rugby World Cup semi-final: England v South Africa

Venue: Stade de France, Paris Date: Saturday, 21 October Kick-off: 20:00 BST

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live (build-up from 19:30 BS), plus live text on the BBC Sport website and app.

In the second semi-final of the Rugby World Cup, which takes place in Paris on Saturday, England will try to make it to back-to-back finals. South Africa is the current champions. The match is a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, in which South Africa overcame early favorites to win 32–12 in Japan.The world’s top side, the Springboks, defeated the hosts, France, in an exciting quarterfinal match.England, led by Steve Borthwick, defeated a fierce Fiji team 30–24 to extend their winning streak to five matches in France. Despite losing to Ireland and finishing second in their group, the three-time world champion South Africa gave a strong effort against the hosts in a thrilling Test match... With victories in their respective pools against Argentina, Japan, Chile, and Samoa, England—the only team still unbeaten in the competition—had a far easier journey to the semi-finals.26 out of the 43 players that participated in the 2019 championship game will play on Saturday.In the championship match on Saturday, October 28 at the Stade de France, the victor will take either Argentina or New Zealand.

Team news

Joe Marler’s scrummaging strength and Freddie Steward’s aerial prowess have earned them starting spots in England’s squad.

Marcus Smith is replaced by Steward. Smith sustained a face injury during the quarterfinal victory over Fiji and was unable to pass the return-to-play standards.

Ollie Chessum is replaced in the second row by George Martin.Ellis Genge, vice captain, sits on the bench with George Ford, with Owen Farrell continuing to play fly-half.Scrum-half Cobus Reinach and fly-half Manie Libbok continue to start for South Africa as the team has picked an unchanged lineup, with Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard sitting on the bench.Jacques Nienaber, the head coach, has once again decided to divide his substitutes into a 5-3 forward and back lineup.

Set-ups

England: Mitchell, Farrell (capt), Steward; May, Marchant, Tuilagi, Daly; Lawes, Curry, Earl, Marler, George, Cole, Itoje, Martin, and Lawes. Dan, Genge, Sinckler, Chessum, Vunipola, Care, Ford, and Lawrence are the replacements.  Willemse, Arendse, Kriel, De Allende, Kolbe; Libbok, Reinach; Kitshoff, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Vermeulen are the South African players.  Fourie, Nche, Koch, Snyman, Smith, De Klerk, Pollard, and Le Roux are the replacements.

View from England’s camp

Steve Borthwick, the head coach of England: “This team always has a strong sense of belief.” Some athletes have achieved the pinnacles of performance. People are eager for this.

Regarding the occasion, Captain Owen Farrell said: “We simply spoke about embracing it. about attempting to bring out the best in ourselves during these moments. Not necessarily something unusual or novel is happening. This club has several players who understand how to win close games.”

View from South Africa’s camp

Jacques Nienaber, head coach of South Africa: “I was asked the other day if the ones who don’t get picked are just unlucky? They’re not unlucky at all. The men that were chosen are not fortunate. Although I can assure you that there wouldn’t be much of a difference if Andre Esterhuizen, Jasper Wiese, or Faf de Klerk started, they were chosen because they earned it.”

Regarding England, Captain Siya Kolisi said, “The rivalry dates back well before my time. Playing against them at Twickenham is always special because they are a huge team and a big country. They play ferociously. It’s always difficult to play against them since even after the World Cup final, we lost the following match [27-26 at Twickenham in November 2021].

‘A chance for retribution and revenge’ – expert view

“South Africa go in as red-hot favorites and everyone is already planning for a South Africa-New Zealand final but old foes England have overcome them many times in the last 10-15 years and a bit of expected rain in Paris with the high pressure environment of a semi-final are variables you can throw into the pot,” said England’s 2003 World Cup winner Will Greenwood on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Although it is one of the biggest challenges, England has been preparing for this. Many of the boys in 2019 were so heartbroken when they left the field in Tokyo four years ago after coming so close to winning but coming up short. There are so many opportunities for vengeance and retaliation. It is a team that kept them from winning.  “They will not go quietly into the night. If South Africa win it they will have to be fabulous.”

Match officials

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)

Assistants: Mathieu Raynal (France) and Paul Williams (New Zealand)

TMO: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)

Match facts

Comparative statistics

At the World Cup, South Africa has defeated England four times out of five times, with their most recent triumph coming in the 32-12 victory in the 2019 final in Japan.
In their last five Test matches against South Africa, England has prevailed three times.
In all, 45 games between the two teams South Africa has 27 victories compared to England’s 16.

 

England

  • England are on a five-match winning run having come into the tournament with one win in six games
  • They have scored just one try across their five meetings with South Africa at World Cups

South Africa

  • The Springboks have won 11 of their last 13 Test matches averaging 4.8 tries per game
  • Only New Zealand (4.3) have scored more points per 22 entry than South Africa (3.3) in this year’s World Cup

What happens if it’s a draw?

We will play two 10-minute halves of extra time if the scores are tied after 80 minutes.The game will move to sudden death, where the first player to score points in the allocated ten minutes wins, if there is still no winner after that.

If we can’t separate the two teams after all, there will be a kicking competition at the end of the game. Kicks can only be taken by the five players from each team who were still on the field at the conclusion of the game. This is a sudden death match that will go on until someone misses if all parties are successful in their five tries.

 

 

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