3 Bongi Mbonambi
Once among the most reliable lineout throwers in world rugby, a noticeable drop-off in form saw his accuracy at the set piece falter early in the year. As a result, his involvement with the Springboks declined significantly, despite continuing to offer immense value as a scrummager.
Now 34, the signs suggest Mbonambi may be entering the twilight of his international career. A return to the Bok squad in 2026 remains the goal, but with younger hookers emerging, time is no longer on his side.
2 Antoine Dupont
Through no real fault of his own, this was far from a vintage year. Since March, the France scrum-half has been sidelined after rupturing his cruciate ligaments during the Six Nations win over Ireland in Dublin.
In his absence, an injury-hit Toulouse side were knocked out of the Champions Cup semi-finals by eventual winners Bordeaux-Bègles, before later gaining revenge in the Top 14 final. A return from the bench came as Toulouse hosted Racing at Stade Ernest Wallon, and despite the injury setback, France still lifted the Six Nations trophy — something Dupont will be determined to build on in 2026.
1 Eben Etzebeth
For the most part, 2025 was another strong year, but one unnecessary moment overshadowed everything else. The 34-year-old double World Cup winner received a 12-week suspension after an independent panel found him guilty of eye-gouging Wales flanker Alex Mann.
Remarkably, it was the first red card of Etzebeth’s 141-Test career, coming late in South Africa’s emphatic 73–0 victory over Wales in Cardiff. The timing and context only made the incident feel more pointless, and a subsequent social media explanation attracted heavy criticism. Moving on from the episode will be a priority heading into 2026.
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