Willemse: Everyone wants to win the World Cup and ‘beat the Springboks’

Damian Willemse understands there will be a target on the Springboks’ back during Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia, as the back-to-back world champions chase a feat not seen before in the tournament’s history.

The Springboks and All Blacks have both gone back-to-back as Men’s Rugby World Cup winners, but a three-peat has never been done before. 24 participating teams will compete at the 11^th edition of the tournament, with the Boks out to make more history.

Coach Rassie Erasmus and the Springboks are in Perth, set to face next year’s World Cup hosts the Wallabies on Sunday evening. It looms as another important hit-out for both sides, ahead of the one-year countdown to the showpiece event next week.

South Africa are coming off a clinical 3-1 series win over the All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, which included a fourth Test in front of more than 68,000 fans in Baltimore. They remain the top side on the World Rugby rankings following the four-match showdown.

“Everyone in the world obviously wants to win the World Cup, wants to be the best and obviously beat the Springboks,” Willemse said this week.

“For us, we really focus just on ourselves, making sure that we get our processes and everything in [place] so that we can obviously win the game and get the desired result.”

Eben Etzebeth and Ethan Hooker are the only Springboks who have retained their spots in the First XV after the most recent win over the All Blacks. Erasmus and the selectors have made 13 changes to the run-on side for the Wallabies clash.

Andre Esterhuizen will become the 68^th captain of the South African side, while backrower Jasper Wiese is in line for his 50^th Test appearance. The Boks have gone with an incredibly experienced bench, which includes the likes of Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche.

But coach Les Kiss has named a familiar Wallabies side, who haven’t lost since the July Nations Championship Tests. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shifts to the wing, linking up with Max Jorgensen and Tom Wright in a new-look back three.

“We’re just happy also to be here in Perth. It’s almost like home away from home,” Springboks assistant coach Mzwandile Stick sad.

“The key thing for us, we’re not really looking far. We know we’ve got a big World Cup next year… but the key thing now is we’re playing a Test match against an Australian side who are in a good space.

“As a team, they’re getting better with their new coaching staff. You can see there’s a new energy and for them, they’re going to be playing at home, so it’s going to be a tough one for us.”

Stick and other Springboks representatives, along with former Wallabies winger Nick Cummins, held a coaching clinic for 40 kids in Perth on Friday morning. It was held at Perth’s UWA Rugby Club, which is one of the cities four Outdoor Training Venues for next year’s World Cup.

The Springboks coach enjoyed a similar experience as an 11-year-old in Port Elizabeth, with the Wallabies visiting for a World Cup pool match in 1995. “I’ll never forget rubbing shoulders with guys like George Gregan,” Stick said. The Wallabies were the reigning World Cup winners at the time.

“I’m one of the beneficiaries of the system that World Rugby is creating behind us, getting the kids involved. Look at me now, 30 years later, I’m still in love with the game,” Stick discussed.

“Once again, credit must also go to World Rugby for what they’re doing and hopefully we can keep promoting the game and make sure it’s a worldwide game. I’m happy to just rub shoulders also with the kids.”