Over the last few years, Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has been preparing for the inevitable changing of the guard, as many South African rugby legends are heading towards retirement.
The pack of forwards, especially, is going to need the biggest overhaul between now and the end of the next Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027. Legends such as props Frans Malherbe (34 years old), Vincent Koch (35), Bongi Mbonambi (34), Eben Etzebeth (33), and Siya Kolisi (34) are still playing well, but will soon hang up their boots.
This is the main reason why Erasmus has handed out about 20 new caps over the last 18 months to try to prepare the new generation of players for the rigors of Test rugby, while also ensuring that his senior players aren’t overplayed.
Despite the rotation and new players being blooded, the Boks have only lost two Tests out of 17 since winning a fourth World Cup in France in 2023. The rookies have made a seamless transition into Test rugby. Players such as props Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Gerhard Steenekamp, and the versatile youngster Jan-Hendrik Wessels have made big strides in the Bok jersey.
World Cup-winning captain John Smit says the country’s ability to produce “this kind of beef” for the future will keep the Springboks at the top of the world game for many years to come.
“The tight five in general, it’s always an amazing point of reference for South Africa – I mean, we thought about, when we go back, who was ever going to be the next Bakkies Botha? And now we’ve got an Eben, who’s the highest Test-capped Springbok in history,” said Smit.
“So this new crew has stepped up, they’ve obviously learnt and played and been in the same squad with a whole bunch of legends, and the difficulty is, it’s not about, ‘Do you think they’re good enough?’ It’s around who’s actually going to take their chance.
“And you’ve seen the rotational system around the front row, and obviously Frans Malherbe is arguably the best tighthead we’ve ever had, and you see every guy who gets a chance in that No. 3 jersey takes every single second as if it’s the last of his life.
“So if you compare us to the rest of the world, in terms of front row stock, we are certainly privileged in terms of the kind of beef that we’ve got to pick from.”
Ntlabakanye, who will be on the bench for the Springboks against the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park this afternoon, has been on a whirlwind journey into the Bok set-up.
That road went via the farm of Bok scrum coach Daan Human, who put the big prop through a boot camp, which saw him lose about 20kg and improve his scrumming power and technique.
“Asenathi has been playing phenomenally well for the Lions for so long, and he’s used every single opportunity he’s played for South Africa really well – he’s been phenomenal,” said Smit, who himself played tighthead prop towards the end of his illustrious career for the Springboks.
“So, I think I’ll do what my mom said I mustn’t do, and answer a question with a question … ‘Has anyone that’s come in to replace a (Steven) Kitshoff or Frans Malherbe let South Africa down?’ The answer is no, they all step up.”
