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The top 5: We name our best Boks on November tour of Europe
It was a four-Test tour of mixed results, but some individuals stood-up once again to be counted.
Bok tighthead prop Frans Malherbe again proved in Europe he is one of the world’s best scrummagers. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
It was another mixed bag for the Springboks on their end-of-year-tour, after they emerged with a 50% win record, with tight losses against Ireland and France followed up by thumping wins over Italy and England.
Here are our top five standout performers for the Boks over the tour.
Frans Malherbe
The immovable object that is Malherbe once again proved his worth in gold with an outstanding end-of-year-tour.
Malherbe is arguably the first name on the team sheet in any Bok team, and was once again superb as he smashed opposition packs in every game. Particularly in the two Bok wins over Italy and England, those wins were built around a massive performance from the Bok pack, led by Malherbe, as they drove the Italian and English packs backwards at a rate of knots.
Malherbe will once again be an integral player in the Boks’ attempts to retain their World Cup title in 2023.
Eben Etzebeth
What does Etzebeth need to do to be acknowledged by World Rugby? For the second year running he was omitted from consideration for World Rugby’s player of the year, despite another brilliant season for the Boks.
On the end-of-year-tour he was at his terrifying best, with top performances in every match he played, and was so good that even when the Boks wanted to rest him against Italy, they still played him off the bench.
In all, it was another dominant year in the green and gold for Etzebeth, as he started 11 of their 13 games and only missed out on selection for their second match against Wales, where the Boks picked an experimental team.
Kurt-Lee Arendse
What a breakout year for the Bulls utility back, who despite picking up a red card in just his second game against the All Blacks back in August, and receiving a four week ban, returned to the Boks with a bang and established himself as the team’s starting number 11.
During the end-of-year-tour Arendse was so impressive that it seems he has overtaken Makazole Mapimpi in the pecking order, with him starting in every match, including starting ahead of Mapimpi against France and Italy, while playing alongside him against Ireland and England.
Arendse scored in every match, including a double against Italy and scored a stunner against England, turning Marcus Smith inside out.
Damian Willemse
The Springboks’ everyman, Willemse was arguably the Boks’ player of the season, with him going from a bit player in previous seasons to arguably the team’s most valuable member.
Willemse started the season as the Boks’ first choice fullback, but following something of a flyhalf crisis he ended it as the team’s preferred number 10.
Ahead of the end of year tour coach Jacques Nienaber admitted that the Boks saw Willemse going to the World Cup as a flyhalf and he has since solidified that position after an impressive tour that will put regular starter Handre Pollard under massive pressure.
But Willemse’s true worth comes from his ability to play almost anywhere across the Bok backline and he showed that again by featuring on the wing a couple of times.
Willie le Roux
What a way to answer your critics, as Le Roux proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the Bok setup.
After a poor 2021 season questions were being asked whether Le Roux would make it to the 2023 World Cup, but he ended up answering those questions emphatically with a superb year.
Initially used as an impact player off the bench in the early part of the season, Le Roux finished the year starting three of the Boks’ four end-of-year-tour games, only coming off the bench in the first game against Ireland.
Le Roux has also formed a brilliant partnership over the season with Damian Willemse, one that will play a big part in the team’s success in 2023.
