Makazole Mapimpi flying against ‘difficult’ critics

Speedster Makazole Mapimpi is revved up to serve a reminder of his quality in the Springboks’ final 2023 Rugby World Cup warm-up match against the All Blacks.

South Africa’s hero of the 2019 World Cup, Mapimpi’s grasp of the No 11 jersey has been questioned by the rise of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie.

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Since replacing Aphiwe Dyantyi, Mapimpi has started 33 Test matches in the Rassie Erasmus era.

However, while he very rarely has let his coaches down, his place in the starting line-up has never been more under scrutiny, owing mainly to the emergence of the two Paarl-raised finishers. Arendse and Moodie exploded on the scene in 2022, with the former currently on a run of 10 tries in nine Tests.

The sensational form of the two Vodacom Bulls speedsters saw Mapimpi left out of many mock World Cup squads, the sacrificial lamb to include currently sidelined teammate Handre Pollard. However, Mapimpi’s reception at the official World Cup capping ceremony showed that he still holds a special place in the hearts of South Africans.

Set to make his 39th Test appearance for the Springboks in the final World Cup tune-up against the All Blacks, Mapimpi is ready to prove his critics wrong at a packed Twickenham.

“I won’t lie, it’s very difficult to deal with,” said Mapimpi. “But these things happen in sport, and we have fans at the end of the day. So, people will write whatever they want in newspapers or on social media.

“The important thing for me is not to listen to the public too much and to listen to the coaches, because they are the ones who see the work I do on the field.

“There’s nothing wrong with people expressing their opinions on these things. While we can adjust what we do on the field, we don’t have to listen to everything. The important thing is to make sure that I know all the detail with regards to what I need to do within the team.”