There is no other way to say it, this is the golden generation of Springbok rugby, and a survey across the landscape says one thing - it can only get better.
This Bok generation has now won back-to-back World Cups and back-to-back Rugby Championships. They have defeated the British and Irish Lions, and they are the No. 1 side in the world.
The past seven years in Springbok rugby have been one of guts and glory, of determination and success, and while Rassie Erasmus’ side continues to set the pace, the rest of the structures are gaining fast and ensuring this success will continue for a time to come.
Even though the win at Twickenham wasn’t as exceptional as the one in Durban, the Bok wobble at Ellis Park had been buried, a new crew of Bok upstarts are making their names on the international stage, and while the Boks have used 50 odd players this season, they have not sacrificed quality, form or their spot at the top of the rankings.
🏆 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 🏆
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) October 4, 2025
For the first time in history, the Springboks win back-to-back tournaments after one of the most entertaining editions ever 👏🇿🇦#SSRugby | #TheRugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/Z0Le4Wgx3C
BOKS A LEVEL ABOVE ALL BLACKS
New Zealand may have finished on the same points as South Africa in the Rugby Championship, but it would be hard to find many of their fans who believe the All Blacks are currently on the same level as the Boks.
The Wellington massacre underlined that, and underlined what a missed opportunity it was at Eden Park, where a poor start cost the Boks a record victory against their greatest rivals.
At under-20 level, the Junior Boks were worthy World Championship winners, and the structures being put in place certainly point to that continuing. Coach Kevin Foote has his eye on the next generation of players and is actively looking to make sure that the Junior Boks dominate that competition when they defend the title.
The Sevens team are World Series champions, and while the anomaly of the current warped Series meant they only had to win the Series finale to claim that title, it is theirs until it is taken away.
The SA under-18 team dominated their recent series against England, France and Ireland, and a random look at any Saturday on SuperSport Schools will show just how much talent there is coming through.
DIVERSITY HAS BOLSTERED RESULTS
The wonderful thing about this generation is that the talent is so diverse, and so varied, and here I’m not only talking about demographics. One of rugby’s most enduring successes over the past few years is the way the discussion about race has been totally put on the back burner, and how pure talent dominates, no matter what form it is in.
At the Springboks, there is the opportunity on the wing, for instance, to continue with the scrumcap brilliance of Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, or Edwill van der Merwe, or put some brute power in Ethan Hooker on the wing, or the sublime grace of a Makazole Mapimpi in full flight.
You only have to look at the URC teams to know that there are youngsters across the teams that are making their breakthrough, and several Currie Cup heroes that have been drafted into some of the URC squads as well.
The key to this continuing is structures and opportunities. And here, quietly behind the scenes, Dave Wessels has done a remarkable job. Whether it was bringing Swys de Bruin in for the Women’s World Cup and his continued involvement in the development of the Springbok women’s team, or Foote at under-20 level. The level of excellence has been raised.
Wessels has now got plans for a proper under-19 and under-21 league to be confirmed by SA Rugby, as well as a potential under-23 league, which would solve the problem during the URC season of so many players not having a second tier to keep themselves match fit.
GLOBAL SEASON STILL NEEDED
A glance at the URC squads is notable for the long injury lists, and that is a consequence of a never-ending season, underlining the fact that something needs to be done to get to a global season and an off-season for the top players that is consecutive and has positive consequences. That is a fight that is going on at World Rugby board level and has made progress in the past few weeks, with Australia signalling they aren’t against moving the Rugby Championship to the same time as the Six Nations.
The holdout is New Zealand, but as things stand, the game will move on even if they don’t come to the table, and that conundrum will be solved in time.
But for now, there has been glory. SuperSport’s social media showed Siya Kolisi’s plethora of cup wins in a post this past weekend, and it is easy to forget how dark things were before 2018 and just how low Springbok rugby had sunk.
The country has more rugby players than any nation in the world, but the challenge has always been to manage them properly, use the talent correctly, and get the most out of them.
MORE STILL TO COME
SA Rugby aren’t quite there yet, but there have been massive strides over the past few months.
And to think of all the success that has already been achieved, and what is still to come.
This isn’t to say it is a given. There are always challengers who will try and out-think and out-play you, but the challenge is to stay ahead of the pack.
Two years back, many were wondering if it was even possible for a team to challenge for a third consecutive World Cup after winning two in a row.
Time will answer that question, but standing now, at the end of the Rugby Championship with less than two years to go to the tournament, it certainly looks like a possibility.
A lot can happen between now and then, but where we stand right now, the Springboks and South African rugby as a whole have set a standard of excellence and are in the middle of a golden generation.
Rugby fans across the country can enjoy it even more knowing that the best, potentially, is still to come.