World XV
| Coach(es) |
Robbie Deans Bernard Laporte (Jul/Aug 2015) |
|---|---|
| Captain(s) | Bakkies Botha (Jul/Aug 2015) |
| First match | |
South Africa  45–24 World XV(27 August 1977) |
|
| Largest win | |
Japan  20–45 World XV(15 August 2015) |
|
| Largest defeat | |
South Africa  46–10 World XV(11 July 2015) |
|
The World XV is a rugby union team, typically composed of invited players from various countries across the world. Various World XVs have been arranged from time to time, often to take part in celebration and testimonial games, usually against national teams, but these have not been considered test matches by most nations.
Traditionally, the World XV side plays in various locations, often as the away team. They have played all the "big 3" southern hemisphere nations (Australia, New Zealand and South Africa), first playing South Africa in Pretoria on 27 August 1977. The World side included Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams, Willie John McBride, and Sandy Carmichael. A crowd of 65,000 watched as Morné du Plessis' South Africans led by 22-14 at half-time to eventually defeat the World XV by 45-24. During the match Argentinian flyhalf Hugo Porta came on as a replacement. Flank Theuns Stofberg added two tries to one each by Gerrie Germishuys, Hermanus Potgieter , Dawie Snyman, and Barry Wolmarans (on debut) for the Springboks. Four days later the World XV played Western Province at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. This time Porta started alongside Williams, McBride, and Carmichael, with Alan Sutherland facing off against Du Plessis. At 3.30pm coloured player Errol Tobias, representing the South African Federation, was on the reserve bench for the World XV, as he had been for the 2pm match between a Presidents' X and Western Province B. In 1980 and 1983, they played Argentina, where in the first match, that match was played at Ferrocaril Oeste, Buenos Aires. Argentina went into half time ahead by 16 points to nil and despite an excellent display in the second half by the World XV Argentina were able to secure a 36-22 win. The second match, went to Atlanta Stadium, Buenos Aires, where Argentina secured a second victory 28-20.
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