Am: Experienced Boks will stick to their strengths for World Cup defence

While few were backing the Boks to lift the trophy in 2019 back when they were a team still very much on the rise with everything to prove, the situation four years later will be very different.

South Africa have reestablished themselves as a rugby force to be reckoned with, and it's safe to say there are a host of top teams looking to wrest the trophy away from them in France later this year.

However, Am feels it is a major asset that the core group of players and coaches who won the World Cup four years ago are still together, and he backs the group to cope with whatever is thrown at them.

"We obviously know we are the defending champions and the teams will come for us, but we are also in a good position as a group. We are not the only favourites in the World Cup," Am said in an interview with The Sowetan this week.

"I reckon any out of the top five in the rankings could go all the way. For us, we have got the experience in the camp. We've got the experience from 2019 because we managed to keep the majority of the group together, so we are in a good space.

"I think the depth we have in the group and our being together this long has been beneficial, the bond and experience we have created will help us."

Since winning the World Cup, the Boks have continued to grow and evolve their game but at the same time have seldom strayed too far away from their core strengths such as their physical intensity and forward dominance - a tactic that has sometimes been met with criticism.

However, Am feels it would be foolish for the Boks to abandon what has worked so well for them in the past. The trick, he believes, is in adding more weapons to your arsenal, without forgetting what gets the job done.

"The game, in general, has evolved," he added.

"All teams have their DNA and their strengths and they all use their strengths. We have our strengths and I feel like we don't need to change or be out there and look for problems that are not there. We do have our strength but we do know we have to improve in certain areas of the game. Our management staff are good at that and I'm sure they have plans in place for that."

Am is currently in Durban along with a select group of locally-based Boks who have been invited to the first of two preparation camps this month.

The season begins in earnest on 8 July when the Springboks host Australia in their opening Rugby Championship fixture at Loftus Versfeld in front of a sell-out crowd.