Following the conclusion of the Springboks’ 2025 international season, we rated every single player that Rassie Erasmus selected this year out of 10.
We start off with the forwards, who were central to South Africa’s success this year, with Erasmus’ charges winning 13 of their 15 Test matches.
The usual suspects shone in Green and Gold, but there was a lack of discipline with four red cards, two of which were for frankly stupid acts and resulted in bans. The Springboks flexed their scrummaging dominance this year, with the props faring well while Erasmus explored his depth at hooker.
All in all, 50 players represented the Boks in 2025. Here’s how we rated the 31 forwards.
Loose forwards
Ben-Jason Dixon: After appearing in five Tests last year, Dixon spent most of the 2025 international season on the sidelines due to injury. Finally claimed his sixth cap against Italy, but his appearance was cruelly cut short after Franco Mostert’s red card. He came off the bench in the hammering of Wales and put in a tidy shift. 5
Evan Roos: Limited to just 24 minutes in the Green and Gold jersey despite the setbacks in the number eight jersey. Erasmus had to take to X to defend his decision to snub the loose forward as he continued to shine for the Stormers, but Roos wasn’t rewarded with a recall. He put in a solid shift versus Italy as South Africa dominated possession, but it was hardly compelling. 5
Jasper Wiese: His brain explosion and headbutt against Italy in Gqeberha is a massive blight on what was actually a great year for the powerhouse number eight. He was sorely missed in the opening stages of the Rugby Championship, but proved his worth on his return from suspension. He was brilliant at the breakdown and charged into opposition defences like a cement truck with faulty brakes. His red card hurts his score as it significantly impacted the Boks’ performances and plans for the year, but he was brilliant when selected. 9
The Springboks are unbeaten in 12 matches when Jasper Wiese has played.
With an average winning scoreline of:
41 – 15 🔨
Over his entire career 32 test starts, he has lost 4 times. A win ratio of 88% 🔥
A vital cog in this current Springbok team ⚙️ pic.twitter.com/wsBlCQumYW
— Angus (@AnalystGus) November 27, 2025
Kwagga Smith: Aptly dubbed as the Oppenheimer of Bomb Squads by Planet Rugby’s James While, Smith started just one of his 12 Test matches this year and was one of Erasmus’ most regular selections. There aren’t many, if any, impact players in world rugby, as Smith once again played a crucial role off the bench for the Springboks time and time again, turning matches on their head. 8
Marco van Staden: Perhaps one of the most underrated Springboks, Van Staden had one of his best years in the Green and Gold jersey in 2025. He was his usual excellent self at the breakdown but was effective with the ball in hand too, grabbing two tries. 7
Pieter-Steph du Toit: Nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year Award, again, after another standout season. He notched up his 95th Test cap for the Boks this year, and frankly, we can’t remember the last time he had a poor outing in Green and Gold. Quite simply one of the best players on the planet. He has a ridiculous work-rate on both sides of the ball and is incredibly effective, too. He has added leadership to his seemingly limitless repertoire. 9
Siya Kolisi: The captain became the eighth player to make 100 appearances for the Springboks, but was unfortunately hooked at half-time of his milestone match. While it wasn’t a blockbuster year for Kolisi, he didn’t produce a poor performance. 7
Vincent Tshituka: After an impressive shift against the Barbarians, the Congolese-born back-rower made his international debut against Italy in what ultimately was his only Test cap this year. He enjoyed a fine performance against the Azzurri, impressing on defence and with ball in hand while also being a safe pair of hands in the lineouts. He is bound to get more caps. 6
Jean-Luc du Preez: The only player who played against the Barbarians but didn’t feature in a single Test match. If Du Preez didn’t have bad luck, he would have luck at all. He was his usual aggressive self in contact against the Baa-Baas before sustaining a concussion with illness, denying him a start against the Wallabies in Cape Town, and a gut-wrenching injury in training, ending his season before a start against the All Blacks. 6
Locks
Cobus Wiese: He made a big impact in his Test debut against Italy in July and shifted to the back-row a week later, filling his brother’s void after his stupid red card. The Bulls powerhouse impressed at number eight against Georgia in Nelspruit. That was his final appearance of the year, but he is bound to return to the Bok fold after proving that he can make the step up to international rugby. 7
Eben Etzebeth: Like Wiese, Etzebeth’s performances this year are marred by a brainless act. The Springboks great’s eye-gouging of Alex Mann earned him a 12-match ban – a real blotch on what was another strong year for the second-rower. He continues to be a real pest to scrum-halves, a threat over the high ball and an excellent lineout jumper. 7
Franco Mostert: Erasmus detailed why 2025 was a tough year for the experienced forward, who was wrongly sent off against Italy in November. He featured six times this year for the Boks, including three appearances on the side of the scrum. While Mostert is well into his 30s now, he continues to put in tidy, busy performances for South Africa. 6
Jean Kleyn: Injury denied him the chance to represent the Boks last year, but he returned to the fold this year, after recovering from another setback, to earn two appearances for South Africa. Kleyn is not a flashy player, simply one who does his job and does it well. That was very much the case in both caps this year. 6
Lood de Jager: Finally earned his 67th Test cap, having last played for the Springboks before the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He was rather unfortunate with his red card and subsequent ban for his tackle on Thomas Ramos, which ended what was shaping up to be a fine season. De Jager was a force at the lineout and showed his softer skills around the park too. 7
RG Snyman: Just two of his 10 appearances this year came in the starting line-up, with Snyman playing the full 80 minutes against Japan. He grabbed a try against the All Blacks in Wellington in what was arguably his best performance of the year, and there was a lot of competition. His offloading ability was a real treat on top of his lineout and ball-carrying excellence. 8
Ruan Nortje: Quickly stamping his mark as one of the best locks in the world. This after he was overlooked by the Springboks for the July internationals last year. Nortje shot into the spotlight by perfectly executing the open-play lineouts, but those antics did not overshadow his brilliance around the park. He is growing more and more into the lineout general role, while he has a diesel engine that rivals a Hilux. It’s tough to break into the Springboks’ lock stocks, but Nortje has done that, and this year, he cemented his spot in the squad. 9
Salmaan Moerat: Captained the side in his only appearance of the year, against Italy in Gqeberha, and it was hardly a memorable one. He conceded three penalties before he was replaced and didn’t make much of an impact in contact either. He is highly rated by the Bok coaching team, but he hasn’t been overly convincing in his 11 Tests to date. Has a major task in moving back up the pecking order next year. 4
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Hookers
Bongi Mbonambi: The once incredibly accurate lineout thrower was wayward at the set-piece early in the year and saw his involvement with the Boks deteriorate significantly. He continues to be one of the best scrummaging hookers in the game, but Mbonambi’s performances look to be declining. 4
Johann Grobbelaar: Recalled to the squad for the November internationals after being overlooked for the majority of the year. Grobbelaar was more accurate than Mbonambi in the lineouts, and for the most part, he replicated his Bulls form in the Green and Gold jersey. He was used sparingly off the bench but did impress in his starts against Italy and Wales. 7
Malcolm Marx: Rightly crowned World Rugby Player of the Year after another memorable season for the Springboks. Marx only got better as the year progressed, putting in an outstanding performance against Ireland. He grabbed five tries, moving him into seventh place on the Springboks’ all-time leading try scorers’ list. Simply, the best hooker in the world. Sublime at the breakdown, in contact and at the set-pieces as he finally ended the long wait for a front-rower to win World Rugby’s top gong. 10
Marnus van der Merwe: Marked his Test debut with two tries against Georgia in his hometown. He backed that up with a solid shift versus Australia in Cape Town and shone off the bench against the All Blacks in Wellington. His set-piece work was solid, and like Marx, he is a real threat over the ball. Proved that he is a reliable option in his first three international caps. 6
Jan-Hendrik Wessels: Earned all six of his caps in 2025 off the bench, and whether he was featuring at hooker or prop, Wessels shone. A suspension for allegedly groping Connacht’s Josh Murphy during the URC cut his Springboks season short. A real shame because Wessels was enjoying a fine run of form. 7
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Props
Asenathi Ntlabakanye: After shedding 18 kilograms at Daan Human’s farm, the Lions prop earned his Test debut off the bench against Italy. He was part of the Ellis Park collapse, which certainly wasn’t all his doing, before being overlooked as he fought his doping ban. He returned to feature in the battering of Wales. Ntlabakanye was effective in the scrums and was effective in his three appearances. 6
Boan Venter: Absolutely decimated Ireland’s Tadhg Furlong at the Aviva Stadium in what was his best performance of the year. Venter was a shock call-up to the squad in July, but the Edinburgh loosehead proved that he was fully deserving of a selection. He was influential in the scrums for the most part. The 28-year-old adds further depth to the Boks’ prop stocks going forward. 7
Gerhard Steenekamp: After a long spell on the sidelines, Steenekamp showed no signs of rust when he returned to the Boks pack. He is one of the most destructive scrummagers in world rugby and made massive impacts off the bench against Japan, France, Italy and Ireland, as well as in his only start against Wales. 8
Neethling Fouche: He shone against the Barbarians and earned a first start against Georgia, which proved to be his only Test cap. He held his own against a powerful Lelos scrum and was good in other facets of the game. Nothing flashy, but good enough to suggest that he can do a job at the highest level. 5
Ox Nche: Nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year award after starring for the Springboks during the July internationals and in the Rugby Championship before his season came to a swift end with an injury against Japan. Nche has cemented himself as the best prop in the game and reinforced that point in 2025. 8
Thomas du Toit: Picked along with Nche in the World Rugby Dream XV and richly deserved that selection. He struggled somewhat against Italy when deployed at loosehead but really hit his stride when shifting to the tighthead side of the scrum. He gave Andrew Porter a scrummaging lesson with his masterclass in Dublin, which was the pick of his performances, but he was deadly effective against New Zealand, France and Argentina too. So much so that Frans Malherbe’s absence was hardly felt this year, which is a real credit to just how impactful Du Toit was. 8
Vincent Koch: Like Mbonambi, Koch has seemingly dropped down the Springboks pecking order this year. The 35-year-old played just twice, coming off the bench against Italy and Georgia, scoring in the former match. He held his own in the scrums but wasn’t overly influential. 5
Wilco Louw: Returned to the Bok fold in November last year, but 2025 was a breakout year for powerful tighthead prop. Since his return to the Bulls, he has been one of the most devastating scrummagers in the club game, but he has successfully replicated that form at the highest level. He scored his first try in stunning fashion against Japan and doubled his international tally with a try against Wales, too. 8
Zac Porthen: Like Venter, few would have predicted that Porthen would don the Green and Gold jersey this year, and his shock selection led to him becoming the youngest Bok prop in the professional era, and he certainly made the most of his opportunity. He was excellent against Japan, but was replaced early against Italy in his second cap. In his third, he surprisingly switched to loosehead prop and fared well in the scrums against Wales. An exciting prospect going forward. 7
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