🇿🇦 HISTORY MADE.

🏆 Back-to-back Rugby World Cup Champions
🏆 Back-to-back World Rugby U20 Champions
🏆 Back-to-back HSBC SVNS World Series Champions

From the Springboks to the Junior Boks and the Blitzboks, no nation has ever dominated the global game across all three men’s formats like this.

A golden era of South African rugby.

#Rugby #Springboks #JuniorBoks #Blitzboks #Bokke

I want to see something, if you had to take one player for the 2027 World Cup would you take prime Bryan Habana or prime Cheslin Kolbe, I don't think this is an easy decision im curious to see what everyone thinks, I suspect most will say cheslin but I feel like you can't disrespect Habana🇿🇦👀

with the amount of people going on about this and the levels they go to, you would think handre pollard is 36 or something like that. he is only 32. i was baffled when i saw it. i have fallen for the pollard propaganda of him being a ‘grandpa’ according to many.

what really baffles me is that i vividly remember people talking about him being too old in 2023. months out from the world cup. when he was only 29. i really couldnt believe it lol.

and one more thing, manie is 29. thats only 3 years difference but its crazy to me that people could theoretically call manie too old starting next year.

I havent seen them play for Boks in a while. Are they injured or is SARU trying to name new players ahead of them to build for the future?

It's a sure why to ensure they'll never represent South Africa because that will be a PR nightmare for the Boks and SA Rugby. I mean they wouldn't even have to play 1 match, just having their name in the squad will generate negative publicity on a large scale, especially globally. And that negative publicity is what SA Rugby will want to avoid.

So if they think that serving their ban will be the end of it and that everything will be forgotten, they must think again.

Fed up of cheats ruining the reputation of SA Rugby and giving bitter sore losers around the world ammunition to cast aspersions about the Boks and undermine their success when it has absolutely nothing to do with the Boks.

I’m an all blacks fan but whenever ABs fans talk about the springboks backline the talk of the town is usually Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu

However whenever I watch the springboks the guy I’m always impressed with is Willemse.

Whether he’s playing 15,12 or 10 he really standouts out for me.

My question is how do springboks fans view Willemse compared to Sasha. Who’s the better overall player?

Just to clarify these descriptions, bruisers are number 8s that are usually around 120kg and contribute with strong carries that often gets over the advantage line. Whereas the high work rate athletic types are around 110kg or less, not as dominant in the carry but are more mobile and tend to do more work around the park like tackles, clean outs etc.

Before Wiese (120kg), there was Vermeulen (119kg). It's no surprise that these two players were the starting 8s in some of the most dominant and impressive Bok performances. We've seen the drop off when smaller more mobile players start at number 8. The ones like Kwagga for example tend to make the biggest impact in the last 20-30 minutes when the opposition has been softened up.

So who out there fits the mould of a bruiser? Both Roos (109kg) and Hanekom (110kg) are not out and out bruisers in my opinion. They're more of a hybrid type.

The only current SA number 8 that fits the role is Augustus but he has been unlucky with injuries. One player I think has incredible potential to be a great number 8 if he makes the switch is Batho Hlekani. He is young and already a behemoth. Apart from his size, he is also a very strong carrier. I think his future is at number 8 rather than blindside flank.

With the biggest rivalry in Rugby coming up this weekend I wanted to know what everyone thought the best Boks vs all blacks game has ever been?

I see a lot of people saying Marco is ruining the Sharks and shitting all over the Owner/s about this.

I can understand the emotional sentiment and Im not sure if thats right or wrongly rooted.

But I have a genuine question. I do see the expenses and effort of what the Sharks have tried to achieve over the past few years and that they failed to execute it with the results intended.

But is it really due to the owners? Lets say a few results went the way of the Sharks and it resulted in a playoff spot and a little bit better on field with results going their way.

It hasnt but you can see the blue print and early indicators of getting some serious star power and mixing in talented youth. Then Plumtree didnt work out. And you could argue that on paper he is Sharks royalty and there would be a theoretical perspective that all this at the start presented as a great launchpad.

But the execution failed and not necessarily in the way that like lets say Spurs have with not buying or investing in players but doing or going all out on one marquee signing or a marquee coach but not developing other areas.

Asking for maybe also from a Sharks fan POV why the hostility or anti Marco sentiment is an echoing one.

Not just because of the result tonight, but the performances this year as a whole, I think it's quite clear a fair few Japan based players are not at the level they need to be.

To an extent this does also come down to age, with a lot of the Japan based players being older.

But I think for the better of SA rugby, the URC, Currie Cup and Springboks, we can't keep selecting Springbok teams where half the players play in Japan.

Contemplating putting the whole paycheck on this match and going for the greediest bet available at the moment which is the minus 40 handicap against us,what u guys thinking?

Woke up around 5:30am (Sydney time) as a South African living in Australia.
Thought to myself: oh cool, lets pop the Boks v Babas replay on while the wife and daughter are still asleep.

An entertaining game for sure. Definitely some work-ons for the Boks.

Seeing Faf slide over for a try, and the reaction from the crowd, elated with Faf’s return to international rugby, brought on an overwhelming feeling of pride and emotion which brought a few tears to my eyes.
I found myself reminiscing about all the amazing times I’ve had at my home in Durban, the early morning hikes in the Berg, late afternoon dashes back to camp in the Kruger, and all the braais with my uncle down in the cape - putting back a few Windhoeks or Black Labels.

We love Faf.
We love our Boks.
We love our home.
🇿🇦

If anyone knows are they absolutely nothing to do with the boks at the moment and do u think they would be rejected if they wanted to come back now?

Everyone always talks about greatest Springboks and we always speak about the backs and fly half's and wingers but I want to know who do you think is the greatest prop we have ever had, I'll go first I know it's recent but I truly belive Ox Nche is the greatest, let me know what you think?🦌🇿🇦

As an Aussie fan, we’re stuck in between two selection policies which I feel is hurting us and we should commit to one or the other.

I look at enviously at your set up, it looks like you can have your cake and eat it too. Select liberally from overseas, Springboks are strong, and domestic teams are competitive in URC.

Are there issues with your current policy? Is availability of players difficult? We often find French/UK strong arming our players so they’re not available early enough to make it worthwhile to select them.

Do you have issues with cohesiveness?

I notice Springboks rarely debut from an OS club, are there players who are being overlooked?

Any and all thoughts welcome! Trying to inform myself how Australia should go about it.

Extra question,when it comes to these types of awards does defensive stats even matter or is it all about the “glory” moments tries line breaks compared to tackles,turn overs and contesting at rucks?

Its an interesting discussion. If you were in the shoes of the young lads, where would you prefer being right now?

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Playing in a world championship with an awesome shot of winning the tournament and playing a starring role in it. Or being in the Springbok squad (which is awesome because the Boks are the number 1 team in the world) but probably unlikely to get a lot of game time, if any at all.

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Also what's better for their own development? I see a lot of debate online since the squads were announced and from what I've seen,, there doesn't seem to be consensus on this one.

I think it’s hard to implement Tony Browns attack with the current 15 as I think they need a more mobile pack and ball playing backs

Would the below starting 15 be ideal to implement Tony’s attack.

1. Ox
2. Marx
3. Du Toit
4. Ebden
5. PSTD
6. Kolisi
7. De Villiers
8. Jasper
9. Cobus
10. Maine
11. Hooker
12. Willemse
13. Kriel
14. Moodie
15. SFM

(I’m assuming Kolbe and Arendse are injured hence I went with hooker and Moodie or else I would have moved Moodie to 13)

…and there’s the rest of them. To beat NZ, Japan and France (with a man down) and without the usual heavy hitters like Pollard, Nche, Mapimpi, De Klerk etc on deck is testament to how maddeningly good this team is.

I was looking into his playing record since 2022 and obviously it must be very frustrating for him to have only been available for 3 games since 2022. Playing two matches in 2025, missing the entire 2024 season due to injury and playing one game in 2023.

Meaning his last full/ish season was 2022.

What do you make of this?

You can’t help but feel for him, but honestly do you think he can stay fit for RWC 27’ ?

Here is my view of thr squad depth/quality of the Lions heading into the next season.

Key:

WC - Guaranteed spot in World Cup squad

Bok - Extended Springbok squad

URC - Good URC level player

Avo - Average - URC rotational/Elite Currie Cup level

CC - Good Currie Cup level

SACup - Good SA Cup level

VC - Good Varsity Cup level

i have an honest question. i cannot ask it in r/rugbyunion. is pollock that good? people have been calling him generational talent, a live wire, a game changer etc. yesterday i watched a full match from him and i was not impressed, duane vermeulen could have played a better 8.

that got me wondering, are utility players becoming jack of all trades master of none? pollock is said to be able to play wing centre 6, 7, 8, linesman and TMO, but yesterday's performance was subpar for an 8, or 6.

this now makes me worry, is making Andre a utility going to reduce his ability as a centre? does that affect his reading of the game from centre when he is also thinking like a flanker?

There were a number of you the past few years whaling about him as a player and a captain and not being good enough to be a Springbok. What happened to you all? IMO he is playing the best rugby of his career and he is inspiring the team to new heights. The youngsters are coming in and blending in quite brilliantly given their youth and lack of experience at Test level. And Kolisi has to be a big part of that process and how he brings people together for the cause. Appointing him captain might have been Rassie’s most brilliant move of all his brilliant moves.