There is one thing that has always been guaranteed when the Springboks play, and that is a fiercely physical battle for any opponent.

It’s another almost impossible task to try and rank the most physical Springbok players of all time, but here is who we think would have to be in the top three.

THREE MOST PHYSICAL SPRINGBOKS OF ALL TIME

1 Bakkies Botha

There can surely be no arguments here. Botha was regarded as one of the most physically intimidating rugby players of all time, with the powerful lock often proving to be a nightmare for any opponent.

Botha always declared his love for the rough stuff, although sometimes this did lead to blurred lines between serving as an effective enforcer and compromising the team cause through ill-discipline.

What can’t be questioned, though, is his unrelenting commitment to the Springbok cause as one of the most physical and fearsome locks in the history of the game.

2 Eben Etzebeth

The successor to Bakkies in many ways, there is simply no way that Etzebeth could be omitted from this list.

A brutal and brilliant player, Etzebeth is one of the most physically intimidating players to have ever donned the green and gold, with the towering lock remaining revered and feared throughout world rugby.

Never one to shy away from any confrontation, Etzebeth is a man mountain who is renowned for his physicality, strength and tendency to make massive weights in the gym look like nothing more than feathers.

3 Kobus Wiese

For the final spot in this ranking, the likes of Bismarck du Plessis, Corne Krige, James Small or Os du Randt would not be out of place, but how could one overlook the hulking presence of Kobus Wiese?

The behemoth second rower who weighed in around 125kg and stood nearly 2m tall was one of the most physically imposing figures to ever take the field for the Springboks.

Rampant in the tight and the loose, he was a Springbok of untamed aggression and physicality, striking fear into the hearts of many opponents who ended up on the wrong side of the big man.

He was a true giant of the game.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS RANKING?

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Src: TheSouthAfrican.com - https://rugga.co.za/springboks/ranked-three-most-physical-springboks-of-all-time/