Bernard Jackman: South Africa taking 'the biggest risk' with 7:1 bench

Bernard Jackman believes South Africa could be taking too big a risk with their 7:1 bench selection for the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand on Saturday.

The Springboks named their team for this weekend's final against New Zealand (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) on Thursday morning, bringing Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard into their side, and dropping Cobus Reinach and Manie Libbok from the matchday 23 entirely.

Reinach and Libbok had started in the half-backs for the quarter and semi-final wins against France and England, but there's no place for them in the squad on Saturday, with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus and head coach Jacques Nienaber choosing to take seven forwards and just one back on their replacements bench.

The Springboks have used the 7:1 split twice in recent months, most recently in their Pool B defeat to Ireland, but also in the warm-up win against the All Blacks in August.

"I actually didn't see this coming," Jackman said on the RTÉ Rugby World Cup podcast, just minutes after the team news was confirmed.

The forward-heavy bench has split opinion in rugby since it was debuted by South Africa in August, with some suggesting it isn't within the spirit of the game.

But while Jackman has no issues with whether or not it should be allowed, he says the Springboks are leaving themselves exposed in the half-backs if they pick up an injury early in the game.

"It's probably the biggest risk I’ve seen any coach take going into a World Cup final. That’s the beauty of the 7:1," he said.

"It’s not immoral, it’s a risk for the team who do it, and obviously the reward can be really big, having seven forwards to come on could be game-changing.

"Leading into the Ireland game there was all kind of talk about potentially