Why the Nations Championship is the ultimate Springbok Rugby World Cup barometer
Having out-lasted the All Blacks across four brutal encounters, the Springboks' veteran core must now prove their squad depth can carry them through four consecutive must-win European clashes.
The Springboks' veteran core must now demonstrate that their squad depth is sufficient to navigate four consecutive must-win matches in Europe, having out-lasted the All Blacks across four intense encounters, according to IOL.
In the Rugby League World Cup, the tournament reaches its semi-finals this weekend featuring Pacific nations in all four matches. On Saturday in Newcastle, the women's competition features New Zealand's Kiwi Ferns against Fetu Samoa, followed by the Kiwis facing an unbeaten Tonga. Sunday's matches in Sydney include the Jillaroos against Fiji and the Kangaroos against Samoa.
An analysis of the semi-final squads by The Conversation AU found that 85% of the women and 95% of the men were born in Australia or New Zealand. The report notes that many players have represented other nations during their international careers, reflecting migration and family connections within the region.
Brief written by urgent.news from IOL, Yahoo Sports, The Conversation AU — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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