(Reuters) – Bryan Habana believes there are few comparisons that can be made between South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winners of 2007 and the Class of 2015, but insists this year’s squad can emulate that triumph.

South Africa’s Bryan Habana celebrates at the end of the match
Reuters / Dylan Martinez
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The Springbok winger, who finished as top try-scorer when South Africa lifted the trophy in France eight years ago, will again be a key figure as they tackle Wales in the quarter-finals at Twickenham on Saturday.

The squad was more settled in 2007 and had a smoother run-up to the tournament, with players who had been building towards the event for the previous four years.

“It is difficult to compare the two, there are two very different components to each,” Habana told reporters on Tuesday.

“In 2007 we really had a fantastic group of core leadership that had come a long way over the four-year period under (coach) Jake White.

“When Jake took over he had a set plan about who his 22 were going to be leading into that World Cup, getting guys like Os du Randt, Jaco van der Westhuyzen and Percy Montgomery from overseas to be a part,” he added.

“If we look at this year then there have been a lot of youngsters that have put up their hand and that have come through really well.”

South Africa lost four of their five tests going into this year’s competition and suffered a shock 34-32 defeat by Japan in their opening game in England.

“In 2007 we had a smooth run into the World Cup, where this year it was more stop-start with a couple of injuries and a couple of losses before the tournament,” Habana said.

“But in my opinion this team definitely has the same potential to go on and achieve something great. After that first weekend shock loss against Japan we had to stand up and be counted.”

With eight players remaining in the squad from 2007, there is experience of winning the Webb Ellis trophy, but Habana feels that counts for little.

“2007 was great and it is always nice to reminisce about the past, but the past isn’t going to get us anywhere in this competition,” he said.

“As a group we have learnt quite a few lessons over the last three weeks and we can use those lessons to the best of our ability going into this knockout phase where you have eight of the best teams in the world competing for that little cup called Bill.”

Uganda Rugby Cranes have returned to the top 50 World Rugby Rankings after a 40-11 wins over highly ranked Ivory Coast in the opening round of the Africa Cup Division 1B at the Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala

Uganda’s Rugby Cranes

There were victories for Uganda, Senegal and Madagascar as Africa Cup Division 1B got underway, while Zimbabwe kept alive hopes of being crowned Africa Cup champions by defeating Tunisia.

Five different players got their names on the score sheet for the Cranes who had the game effectively sewn up by half-time. James Odong, man of the match Ronald Musajjagulanyago, Lawrence Sebuliba and Scott Oloch scored first-half tries and Kevin Makmot kicked two penalties and three conversions for a 32-6 lead at the break.

Ugandan Rugby

A more evenly-contested second half brought a try apiece for either side with Cranes vice-captain Michael Wokorach cancelling out Traora Salfi’s effort.

Uganda’s victory warranted an increase of 1.32 rankings points and lifts them four places above Ivory Coast in the rankings to 50^th. The Philippines, Guyana and Croatia are the other nations to lose ground.

Colombia and Sweden also benefit from Ivory Coast’s three-place fall, moving up one place to 48th and 49th respectively.

Today’s fixture

Rugby Cranes will play Mauritius‪ at 12:30, Senegal and Botswana at 2:30 and ivory Coast will battle Madagascar at 4:30.

Spain is scheduled to play Kenya in a test match at Nairobi’s RFUEA Grounds on Saturday 18 July 2015.

Kenya will face Spain this weekend

Currently ranked 20th on the World Rugby ranking, The Los Leones come into this encounter off the back of a 20-3 win over another African side, Namibia in a Four Nations tournament played on 21 June in Bucharest, Romania and in their first African foray since 2012 when they defeated Namibia 38-37 in Windhoek, Namibia.

Coached by Santiago Santos who played for the side between 1982 and 1992, the Los Leones have in their ranks players such as fly half Pierre-Emmanuel Garcia who has had stints at leading French clubs Castres and Clermont Auvergne, hard running Jaime Nava who is the skipper of the side and fullback Sergi Aubannell, players who are expected to light up the stage.

This will be the first ever test match between the two sides, despite the two teams having met severally in the sevens version of the game and it promises to be an exciting encounter.