14 May 2014

Experienced World XV squad named

6:42 am on 14 May 2014

The former Springbok coach Nick Mallett believes the players selected for his World XV squad are in top form for their match against South Africa in Cape Town early next month.

The squad of 23 players, comprising of Test stars from New Zealand, France, Australia, Ireland, Samoa, Tonga, Georgia and South Africa, boasts a total of 707 caps between them.

The latest additions to the squad of 23 include four All Blacks with 185 Tests worth of experience between them.

Experienced hooker Andrew Hore, who has 83 caps for New Zealand, heads the list of New Zealanders followed by halfback Jimmy Cowan (51 Tests) and outside backs Sitiveni Sivivatu (45) and Rene Ranger (6).

The All Black quartet will be joined in the World XV squad by French Test players Aurelien Rougerie (centre, 71 caps) and Alexandre Lapandry (loose forward, 6 caps), as well as loose forwards Roger Wilson (Ireland, 1 cap) and Mamuka Gorgodze (Georgia, 51 caps).

Samoan lock Joe Tekori (26 caps) and Tongan prop Sona Taumalolo (5 caps) will add a Pacific flavour to the team.

The only uncapped members of the squad are Rory Kockott and Schalk Ferreira.

The most experienced of the South African contingent in the squad is BJ Botha, who has 25 Springbok caps to his name, followed by Juandré Kruger (17 caps), Schalk Brits (5 caps) and Alistair Hargreaves (4 caps).

The World XV squad is:

Backs: James O'Connor (London Irish, Australia - 44 Test caps), Drew Mitchell (Toulon, Australia - 63), Hosea Gear (Toulouse, New Zealand - 14), Sititiveni Sivivatu (Clermont, New Zealand - 45), Aurelien Rougerie (Clermont, France - 71), Rene Ranger (Montpelier, New Zealand - 6), Matt Giteau (Toulon, Australia - 92), François Trinh-Duc (Montpelier, France - 48), Rory Kockott (Castres, South Africa - uncapped) and Jimmy Cowan (Gloucester, New Zealand - 51).

Forwards: Steffon Armitage (Toulon, England - 5 Test caps), Alexandre Lapandry (Clermont, France - 6), Roger Wilson (Ulster, Ireland - 1), Mamuka Gorgodze (Montpellier, Georgia - 51), Alistair Hargreaves (Saracens, South Africa - 4), Joe Tekori (Toulouse, Samoa - 26), Juandré Kruger (Racing Metro, South Africa - 17), Schalk Brits (Saracens, South Africa - 5), Andrew Hore (New Zealand - 83), Schalk Ferreira (Toulouse, South Africa - uncapped), Sona Taumololo (Perpignan, Tonga - 5), BJ Botha (Munster, South Africa - 25) and Carl Hayman (Toulon, New Zealand - 45).