Dobbo: Boks won’t fall off a cliff

DHL Stormers director of rugby John Dobson says the Springboks are in a powerful position for South Africa’s World Cup three-peat bid in 2027.

The talismanic Siya Kolisi became just the second player to lead a successful defence of the Webb Ellis Cup in November 2023, after captaining the Boks to the 2019 title.

Currently top of the global Test rankings, Rassie Erasmus’ troops can clinch a series sweep in the Republic of the second-best team Ireland at Kings Park on Saturday.

Speaking on the latest episode of Off The Ball’s breakfast show, Dobson addressed the state of South African rugby while highlighting the succession planning of the world champions.

“I don’t think I’ve seen South African rugby – in my lifetime – in as good a place as it is now. We’ve gone two in a row and we’re not going to fall off a cliff for 2027.

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“[Steven] Kitshoff will make it, [Gerhard] Steenekamp is a young loosehead… everywhere you go there’s so many crazy young second-rowers and No 8s… we’re not going to fall off a cliff.

“Willie le Roux is old and playing at fullback and playing well but Damian Willemse is 26 and actually our No 1 fullback and has already won two World Cups. Andre Esterhuizen could replace [Damian] de Allende [at inside centre].

“If I was the rest of the world I’d say I don’t think I’ve ever seen South Africa in this position, which is quite scary and quite nice for us.

“It looks like we’ve got a succession plan… and no one has done a three-peat and I think that’s the obsession.

“I’m not being jingoistic because I’m the first guy to call us [out] for all the things we do wrong but I just think we’re in a really powerful position now, and I think Ireland as the No 2, there’s danger of that gap widening.”