3 Bongi Mbonambi<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
2 Antoine Dupont<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In his absence, an injury-hit Toulouse side were knocked out of the Champions Cup semi-finals by eventual winners Bordeaux-B\u00e8gles, 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 \u2014 something Dupont will be determined to build on in 2026.<\/p>\n
1 Eben Etzebeth<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Remarkably, it was the first red card of Etzebeth\u2019s 141-Test career, coming late in South Africa\u2019s emphatic 73\u20130 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.<\/p>\n
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