SA RUGBY October 2025

Rassie Erasmus gambled after the heartbreak at Eden Park, and in Wellington he hit the jackpot. A reshaped Bok backline featuring Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at 10, Damian Willemse at 12 and Ethan Hooker on the left wing delivered in style. Willemse - later shifted to fullback - owned the night, drawing praise from Eddie Jones as ‘an athletic beast’ while Hooker brought bruising metres and fearless intent. ‘Sacha FM’ had just 18 minutes behind the wheel in Wellington before concussion struck, but his full Test drive came two weeks later in Durban. Thirty-seven points against Argentina - a Bok record - and a Dan Carter comparison confirmed what we suspected: South Africa's next generation had arrived. It's why they were backed again at Twickenham as the Boks defended the Rugby Championship…

ARGENTINA 27 SPRINGBOKS 29 The back-to-back world champions celebrate becoming the first Springbok team to defend a Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship title in the 29-year history of the competition. The Boks outscored Los Pumas by four tries to three at Twickenham. SPRINGBOKS 67 ARGENTINA 30 Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu rewrote the Bok record books with a 37-point haul against Los Pumas at Kings Park that included a hat-trick of tries, eight conversions and two penalty goals. ALL BLACKS 10 SPRINGBOKS 43 Replacement lock RG Snyman breaks away for the Springboks’ fifth try in Wellington. The All Blacks suffered the heaviest defeat in their 122-year history. SPRINGBOK WOMEN 29 ITALY WOMEN 24 The Bok Women qualified for the Women's World Cup playoffs for the first time with victory at York Community Stadium. It was…

WILL THE BOKS GO UNBEATEN IN NOVEMBER? DYLAN JOHNSON SAYS YES The Springboks’ year-end schedule looks brutal on paper, but there's every reason to believe Rassie Erasmus’ side will return to South Africa unbeaten. Japan at Wembley provides a comfortable entry point. The Boks brushed them aside at the 2019 World Cup and, after the Brave Blossoms’ July defeat to a Wales team on an 18-match losing streak, nothing suggests another 2015-style shock is coming. France in Paris is a big challenge. The reigning Six Nations champions pushed the All Blacks in July despite missing stars. The Boks, though, have already shown they can beat France when it matters most, notably in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final. Italy should not worry the Boks. They've already lost twice to South Africa…

YOUNG LAMBIE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL Pat Lambie had started the last eight matches of the Sharks’ Super 14 campaign at fullback and also wore the No 15 jersey for South Africa at the U20 World Championship. However, the 20-year-old played inside centre early in the Currie Cup before moving to flyhalf, which created debate around his best position. ‘I've enjoyed 15, 12 and 10 and I don't yet know which one I'm best at or which one I enjoy the most,’ he told SA Rugby magazine. ‘But with a bit more time and experience I'll be able to decide on a position, put my mind to it and stay there.’ Lambie was being carefully managed by John Plumtree at the time. ‘He is still at the stage of his career where…

KINGS PARK ‘Where it all started for me. I've got vivid memories of going with my father to watch games when Natal were still called the Banana Boys, playing in the B section of the Currie Cup. All those promotion-relegation games… and I was there for the game where they beat Free State at Kings Park to reach the 1984 Currie Cup final. My first memory of playing there was when I was 11, a curtain-raiser before a Sharks game for my school, Northlands Senior Primary. From there, I've got so many memories of playing Super Rugby and Currie Cup… but the big one was the first time I played for the Sharks in 1994. The sound inside that stadium was electric. When we scored a try, running back to…

APHELELEFASSI ‘Danko.’ - The Springbok fullback celebrated the record victory against the All Blacks in Wellington with flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. MAMIE LIBBOK ‘God did.’ - The Springbok replacement flyhalf was delighted after starring in the Rugby Championship thrashing of the All Blacks. CANAN MOODIE ‘Always an honour to compete against the best.’ - The Springbok centre exchanged jerseys with All Blacks midfielder Billy Proctor in New Zealand's capital city. MARNUS VAN DER MERWE ‘A night to remember. Blessed. Grateful. Eyes in the sky.’ - The Springbok hooker with fellow rookie Boan Venter. CHESLIN KOLBE ‘Humble in the highs, hungry in the lows. Thank you to everyone for the support.’ - The Springbok wing with back-three teammates Ethan Hooker and Aphelele Fassi after scoring a brace of tries against the All…