Springbok RWC winners in World Cups

[saulan]

Had a random thought yesterday that may seem a bit obvious, but the Springboks have had a World Cup winner at every World Cup since they've been in the tournament. I dug in a bit deeper to see what that looked like on a 4-year cycle basis... and then I got carried away with some analysis. So here is some throwaway statistics and data on Springbok RWC winners at World Cups, old players in our squads and a bit of an outlook forward on the next cycle.

1995
All - first tournament

1999 (7)
Naka Drotské
Chris Russouw
Os Du Randt
Mark Andrews
Ruben Kruger
Joost van der Westhuizen
Brendan Venter

2003 (1)
Joost van der Westhuizen

2007 (1 previous, all from win)
Os Du Randt

2011 (18)
Bismarck du Plessis
John Smit
Jannie du Plessis
Guthro Steenkamp
CJ van der Linde
Bakkies Botha
Victor Matfield
Johann Muller
Danie Russouw
Schalk Burger
Fourie du Preez
Ruan Pienaar
Butch James
Jean de Villiers
Jacques Fourie
Bryan Habana
JP Pietersen
Francois Steyn

2015 (9)
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Victor Matfield
Schalk Burger
Fourie du Preez
Ruan Pienaar
Jean de Villiers
Bryan Habana
JP Pietersen

2019 (1 previous, all from win)
Francois Steyn

2023 (all, 23 previous win)
Malcolm Marx
Bongi Mbonambi
Steven Kitshoff
Vincent Koch
Frans Malherbe
Trevor Nyakane
Eben Etzebeth
Franco Mostert
RG Snyman
Pieter-Steph du Toit
Siya Kolisi
Kwagga Smith
Duane Vermeulen
Faf de Klerk
Cobus Reinach
Handre Pollard
Damian Willemse
Lukhanyo Am
Damian de Allende
Jessie Kriel
Cheslin Kolbe
Makazole Mapimpi
Willie le Roux

Some interesting points:

• It's quite interesting seeing the drop-off from '95 to '99 and '03. Guess that also shows the switch from amateur to professional. Some players did go down to injury such as Otto or James Small. But some just seemed to have shorter careers, for example Chester Williams was 24 in '95, but Wikipedia has his last club game in '00, so around 29/30. I suspect it was an overload of good players coming in from professionalism though that made that switch happen, Os du Randt being the one with the longevity to get the amateur and professional World Cup wins. But still, it is surprising that there was only one that made it into that '03 squad in Joost
• That 2011 squad really was loaded up with some great players with experience in winning, and probably the biggest disappointment of all the World Cup performances getting knocked out at the quarter final stage having topped their group.
• The 2007 squad really had amazing longevity and stuck around for a long time, which I think shows a bit of the greater longevity of player careers in the sport. Steyn in 2019 is a bit of an outlier as he was 19/20 in 2007, but he would've likely played in '23 if it wasn't for the injury earlier in the season. Meanwhile in 2015 there was Fourie du Preez (33), Victor Matfield (38), Schalk Burger (32), Jean de Villiers (34), Bryan Habana (32) and Bismarck/Jannie du Plessis (31/32). Compare that again to the '95 squad and the oldest 4 players for SA were all 31, which would put them at about ~7-10th oldest out of 32 (Balie Swart, Kobus Wiese, Rudolf Straeuli, Andre Joubert)
• Quite obvious, but World Cup winners were the backbone of the 2023 squad. This comes as little surprise though as Rassie/Nienaber/Kolisi have all said that the target wasn't the '19 World Cup, the target was to build up a strong squad for the '23 World Cup
• Assuming some holding of form, there should be '23 World Cup winners from SA in the World Cup for the next 2-3 iterations. Likely long-run players are Canan Moodie (20), Jaden Hendrikse (23), Damian Willemse (24 - but would be a Sexton type push for 3 more WCs for him making him 36). Realistically it would need to rely on Moodie avoiding injury and continuing his strong initial development. Os did it from being 22 until he was 34ish in '07 and Steyn did it from being 19/20 in '07 and got to '19 at 32 (would have been 36 at '23... and still wouldn't have been our oldest player

• Slight side note... but we really like our old players in the Springboks of late...
  • '23 had:
    • Deon Fourie (37), Kwagga Smith (34) - Both of those are a bit crazy, because they had the most energy and impact coming into the games
    • Duane Vermeulen (37), Willie le Roux (34), Cobus Reinach (33), Makazole Mapimpi (33) , Vincent Koch (33)
  • '19 had:
    • Schalk Brits (38), Tendai Mtawarira (34), Francois Louw (34), Francois Steyn (32)
  • '15 had:
    • Victor Matfield (38), Schalk Brits (34), Jean de Villiers (34), Fourie du Preez (33)
  • '11 had:
    • Victor Matfield (34), John Smit (33)
• At first glance that looks quite worrying in terms of the rebuild ahead for us in the next World Cup, but thankfully most of those going out are in positions where we have the biggest backlog of top players in loose forward, scrumhalf and wing. Prop we have a few other oldies, but some solid performers and this position is one that can run to the age of 34/35, and fullback Willemse has already taken that mantle in the national team, plus I think Gelant is a strong second now that he is back in SA

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Was Os injured in 2003?

 

[saulan]

Was Os injured in 2003?

Wikipedia says he had a number of injuries at 27 which kept him out the game for 3 years, only returning when Rassie called him from the Cheetahs asking him to come back. Rejoined the Boks in 2004

 

[IT157]

Was Os injured in 2003?

That is what stuck out for me as well. Figured it was an injury

 

[IT157]

I know it's obvious but until the year only two Springboks had won two Worlds Cup. Now it is 25! Being back to back obviously helps haha

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I know it's obvious but until the year only two Springboks had won two Worlds Cup. Now it is 25! Being back to back obviously helps haha

Yep.

Os du Randt and Francois Steyn bridged the gap between Pienaar and Kolisi.