The depth in the squad is unbelievable, and the envy of the rest of the rugby-playing world.
What a season for the Springboks!
For the second year running the Boks lost just twice, this time recording 13 wins out of 15, and they comfortably topped the world rankings.
The Boks have never been in better health … a scary thought for the rest of the world just two years out from the next World Cup.
And as things stand there’s no reason why Rassie Erasmus and Co shouldn’t feel confident of making it three wins in a row at the global showpiece.
A number of key elements stand out about the Boks’ season.
Long list of positives
If the team’s scrumming was good before this year, it is now at another level completely, and that’s without Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff and a few others.
And their scrumming is just going to get better the more they play together.
The depth at prop is something else, as it is elsewhere in the team.
Having three genuine world class No 10s to pick from is insane, but let’s also say it like it is: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is just a little bit more special and with him growing in each game the Boks will become an even more dangerous side than they were in 2025.
The emergence of Ethan Hooker has been a revelation, the uptick in performance of Canan Moodie, the all-round contribution of André Esterhuizen … the list goes on and on.
There are “oldies” in this Bok team, and there are rookies, and together they have helped make the national side as strong as they’ve ever been. There are no weaknesses. None.
Discipline needs improvement
However, this season has seen quite a few players pinged for disciplinary reasons, the worst being Eben Etzebeth’s shocker against Wales at the weekend, and this is something that needs improvement.
And it is not up to Erasmus to fix it. The players themselves need to look at their own performances and behaviour and be better.
The Boks thrilled us in 2025; the win in Wellington was special, the victories against France and Ireland were top-notch.
Next season will be about giving more Test time to the youngsters and Erasmus getting everything in place for the World Cup in 2027. It should be another cracker. The Boks should be even stronger than they were this year.
I can’t wait.