England advanced to the final of the Rugby World Cup in France in 2007 thanks to an unexpected team anthem.

Brian Ashton’s team adopted Kenny Rogers’ late 1970s country and western hit The Gambler after prop Matt Stevens, who placed second on a Celebrity X Factor the year before, played it on his guitar at the team hotel.

After sixteen years, the Springboks have opted to place all of their chips in the middle rather than their rivals, who weighed the pros and cons of holding or folding.

The choice to rip out and replace the half-back partnership, which would have typically dominated discussion, was not made when South Africa’s team selection was announced on Thursday morning.