Reinach and Libbok start - South Africa name team to play France in quarter-final

South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber has named his matchday 23 to face France in Stade de France on Sunday. In the starting XV, Cobus Reinach (pictured) and Manie Libbok are preferred at scrum-half and fly-half to Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard respectively, while Duane Vermeulen starts at number eight ahead of Jasper Wiese, who drops out of the 23 altogether. On the bench, South Africa have opted for a 5-3 split (of forwards and backs).

1 Steven Kitshoff
2 Mbongeni Mbonambi
3 Frans Malherbe
4 Eben Etzebeth
5 Franco Mostert
6 Siya Kolisi (c)
7 Pieter-Steph du Toit
8 Duane Vermeulen
9 Cobus Reinach
10 Manie Libbok
11 Cheslin Kolbe
12 Damian de Allende
13 Jesse Kriel
14 Kurt-Lee Arendse
15 Damian Willemse

Replacements:
16 Deon Fourie
17 Ox Nche
18 Vincent Koch
19 RG Snyman
20 Kwagga Smith
21 Faf de Klerk
22 Handre Pollard
23 Willie Le Roux

•    Head coach Jacques Nienaber has named 13 of the 15 players who started against Ireland in round three, with the only two changes coming at scrum-half, where Cobus Reinach gets the nod ahead of Faf de Klerk, with Duane Vermeulen in place of Jasper Wiese at number  eight. 
•    Only four players retain their spot in the starting team from South Africa's last pool match against Tonga - Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen, Cobus Reinach and captain Siya Kolisi.
•    There are seven players in this match-day squad who have played in each of their last two Rugby World Cup quarter-finals (2015 and 2019): Willie Le Roux, Damian de Allende, Handre Pollard, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen and Pieter-Steph du Toit. 
•    There are 14 players in this match-day squad from the last time South Africa played France, in the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, including Manie Libbok, who made his debut. 
•    Jacques Nienaber has named a 5-3 split on the bench for the second consecutive match, and third time at RWC 2023. 
•    This will be only the third time Cobus Reinach has started alongside Manie Libbok at half-back. Libbok has converted 55% of his kicks at goal at RWC 2023, while Handre Pollard, who averages 15.7 points per game in RWC knock-out games, has kicked 100% from the tee at this tournament. 
•    Pollard, who is on the bench, scored 19 points against France the last time he played at this venue in 2018, kicking a perfect seven out of seven attempts.