Sharks head coach John Plumtree issued a warning that many older Springboks could be in “danger” of not making the next Rugby World Cup.
Plumtree was of course referring to the taxing year-round playing schedule of top-flight South African players who effectively don’t have an off-season as they play their club rugby in the northern hemisphere tournaments and the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship.
Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus had already raised similar concerns with many of the star men of the last two Rugby World Cup successes also naturally ageing out of the squad.
Still, the Sharks coach’s concerns are merited as there is certainly a risk that some of the players’ bodies will effectively break down before the World Cup and due to the demanding playing schedule.
“Unless these guys are managed properly, you might not see it straight away, but there will be an accumulation over time, and with the World Cup coming up in three years, there’s a danger of some of our older athletes not being able to make it,” Plumtree said in late December.
“I think South Africa’s in a good position to handle [the rugby schedule]. No other country could because we’ve got some really good depth and a lot of good players.
“The Japan [club] season isn’t as hectic as ours and that’s a bit of a saving grace for the Springboks. But the Springboks who play in South Africa need to be managed well. And it’s not just about rest and playing rugby, it’s about rest and getting their bodies right by having a proper pre-season window when they can get fitter and stronger.”
With this in mind, we run through the players that are most at risk at falling victim to the schedule in the next two years as the race to make the World Cup quickly approaches the finishing line.
SA Rugby issued warning over Springboks stars as Rugby World Cup put in ‘danger’
Bongi Mbonambi
Ahead of the November internationals, we highlighted the need for Erasmus to look beyond the experienced hooker duo that is Malcolm Marx and Bongi Mbonambi, with the former entering his 30s and the latter now three years into his.
While Marx has had his fair share of injuries throughout his career, including the one that ruled him out for much of last year, he is currently employed by Japanese club Kubota Spears. Playing in the Japanese Rugby League One is most ideal for a player of his calibre as he will almost certainly be picked by the Boks on pedigree but he still remains in great shape from the tournament and isn’t playing all year round, with an ideal pre-season block and a break before the mid-year internationals.
However, the picture for Mbonambi is entirely different as he is effectively playing all year with the Sharks. Understandably, the world-class hooker is selected in the crunch clashes for his club and often goes deep into the second half in those games, unlike what is the case when he is donning the Green and Gold jumper. He has also fallen victim to niggling injuries of late which is not the best of signs for a front-rower in nearing their mid-30s.
The Springboks coaching staff’s exploration of Jan-Hendrik Wessels as an option at hooker and prop points to the want to keep Mbonambi in the squad for as long as possible, but if the Sharks and Boks aren’t careful the choice may be taken out of their hands.
Frans Malherbe
Many of the Boks forwards of 2023 are unfortunately, for Erasmus, in this bracket and the brilliant Frans Malherbe is no exception.
The tighthead prop has anchored the South African scrum to a wonderful standard for years now but his recent run of setbacks should be sounding alarms at SA Rugby HQ.
The 33-year-old had a lengthy lay-off after the 2023 World Cup and while he returned in time to represent the Springboks last year, he did suffer another setback which saw him miss the end-of-year internationals only returning in the late knockings of 2024 for the Stormers.
There is certainly life after Malherbe despite the tighthead setting the global standard at times in the scrum, with Thomas du Toit and Wilco Louw both impressing last year, but Malherbe will be eager to press for a fourth World Cup.
L’Equipe reveals SHOCK Team of the Year with DOUBLE the number of French stars than Springboks
Vincent Koch
Staying on the right-hand side of the Springboks’ scrum and Vincent Koch is another star prop who is in danger of burning out before the next World Cup.
A world-class operator for club and country, Koch has a huge workload for a 34-year-old as he regularly features for the Sharks and last year missed just one of the Springboks’ 13 Test matches.
While he is in incredible nick and is a serious athlete for a front-rower, Koch has been playing top-flight rugby for a long time and has played much of it in the northern hemisphere while turning out for the Boks.
Steven Kitshoff
At just 32, Steven Kitshoff would still have a lengthy career ahead of him as a front-rower but recent events have changed the picture for the Springboks prop.
His recent neck injury was two millimetres away from ending his life and while he is set to recover and return to the field this month, there is certainly still some concerns over his career.
Kitshoff has been one of the premier loosehead props in world rugby for several years now and while we expect him to get back to that level once again upon his return, he is one that will undoubtedly need to be managed carefully over the upcoming months.
Eben Etzebeth
The most capped Springboks player of all-time, Eben Etzebeth is still performing at an insanely high level, highlighted by the fact that he was nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year Award.
A long-term successor has yet to really put pressure on Etzebeth’s spot in the squad just yet but injury issues could be the lock’s undoing. During his storied career, the second-rower has an unfortunate track record with concussions which will concern the Bok coaching team.
He was sidelined for three months during his time with Toulon in 2021 and missed the end of 2024 for the same reasons. If he can avoid further setbacks in this regard, he is bound to make the tournament in Australia as still remains nigh on unreplaceable.
Marco van Staden
Similarly, flanker Marco van Staden may only be 29 years old but his injury record is a real blight on his chances of making Australia 2027.
His season at Leicester Tigers was riddled with injuries and while he has seemingly put most of that behind him, untimely setbacks or further concussions could also hamper his chances.
Siya Kolisi
On a similar line, Siya Kolisi has suffered multiple knee injuries during his career which will surely impact the latter stages of his playing days.
The 33-year-old was in excellent form in 2024 and proved many of his doubters wrong after an underwhelming stint in France. If he is still playing to a high standard in 2027, he will almost certainly be on the plane to Australia, particularly when one considers his leadership qualities, but he too will need some close monitoring and managing.
There is also fierce competition in the Springboks back-row which is often the case with South Africa’s loose forwards.
Handre Pollard
While the aforementioned players are currently contracted to South African franchises, the issue of a year-round playing schedule extends to Springboks playing for Premiership and Top 14 teams too.
Handre Pollard has also endured a torrid run of injuries throughout his career, many of which have kept him sidelined for months at a time. The fly-half has shown that he is still more than capable of playing at the highest level for club and country but does look to be losing a touch of pace which won’t help his chances.
In the case of Pollard, there is a possibility of his situation changing with reports suggesting that he could be leaving Leicester Tigers at the end of the season with Japan looking more and more likely to be his next stop.
Makazole Mapimpi
Erasmus put it perfectly when he stated that it will be a “sad day” when Makazole Mapimpi “is done” and perhaps even with the perfect management, the Springboks darling may not even make 2027.
“There is sometimes an emotional connection with the players and the management and coaching staff and when have the opportunity, we do try and make it special for them. But yeah it will be sad the day when Mapimpi is done because he always produces,” Erasmus said last year.
Mapimpi has regularly beaten the odds during his career but at 35, it is tough to envisage the Bok flyer donning the Green and Gold in two years’ time.
Rassie Erasmus: ‘It will be sad the day when Mapimpi is done because he always produces’
Willie le Roux
Finally, another stalwart who Erasmus has admitted that there is a rather small chance that will make the World Cup defence.
Willie Le Roux has lost the pace that made him a real attacking threat in his youth but to counter that, he has developed into one of the greatest attacking minds in the game. However, even that intellect is unlikely to be enough for the veteran who is also playing year-round. He too might be off to Japan at the end of the season but even with a less demanding schedule, he is getting pushed out the squad with the exciting talents of Damian Willemse and Aphelele Fassi taking over.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/10-older-springboks-in-danger-of-not-making-the-world-cup-if-not-managed-properly
