Gloucester loose forward Ruan Ackermann has turned into one of the best back-row players in England. Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images
With the Rugby World Cup under two years away the Springboks will soon be heading into the home stretch of their preparations for the showpiece event.
By the end of this year the Bok management will want to have a solid idea of the squad that they want to compete at the 2023 event in France and next year’s season will all be about building those players up and preparing them for it.
Here are five foreign based players who have not been a part of any recent Springbok squads that need to get a look in over the current season.
Former Lions loose forward Ruan Ackermann has made a name for himself in England for his no nonsense style of play, much like his father, former Springbok Johan’s.
He recently became eligible to play for England and will not be available to the Boks if he is not snapped up soon.
Ackermann has become a fan favourite at Gloucester where he joined with his dad in 2017 and has seen his star grow after Johan left in 2020. He signed a new multi-year contract at the club last year and would be a welcome addition to a strong South African loose forward contingent, especially as back up for the often injured Pieter-Steph du Toit and could even be a contender to take over the soon to be vacated (after the 2023 World Cup) eighthman position of Duane Vermeulen.
Former Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen is currently the form player in the English Premiership. Esterhuizen has been in sizzling form for Harlequins over the current season and was named Premiership Player of the Month for January after a scintillating start to the year.
Esterhuizen has played for the Boks before, making his debut in 2018 and featuring eight times, however his last appearance came in August 2019 against Argentina and he has not been picked since.
Esterhuizen would find himself behind Damian de Allende in the Bok pecking order and with the management’s preference of backing utility backs on the bench he probably wouldn’t be in line to make the match 23, however he would be a very handy back up should anything happen to the first choice inside centre.
Former Lions and Junior Springbok flyer Tyrone Green enjoyed a barnstorming first season at Harlequins and was rewarded with a long term contract at the start of this year.
The 23-year-old Green has made himself the starting fullback at the club and has put in numerous star performances, including in last season’s English Premiership semi-final where he scored a double and was named man-of-the-match after helping them recover from a 28-point deficit to win against the Bristol Bears. He went on to start in the final against Exeter a week later and lifted the title with his team.
Although Green would be fighting for a place in a stacked department for the Boks, his versatility would be a big asset with him equally adept at fullback and on the wing, while he could also slot in at centre if needed.
Former South African Schools and Bulls loose forward Hanro Liebenberg was all set to become a Loftus legend and play for the Springboks, but fate had other plans as he made a move to Leicester Tigers in 2019. Since then he has become an integral part of their team and after a brilliant 2020-21 campaign was voted their player of the season.
Ahead of the most recent campaign Liebenberg was selected as the team’s vice-captain and just last week signed a contract extension.
With him set to qualify for English residency in the near future, Liebenberg could be lost to Springbok rugby forever if he doesn’t get a look in, and while the search for a successor to Duane Vermeulen continues he would fit that bill perfectly.
Known as the forgotten man of South African rugby, former Springbok star Jan Serfontein continues to put in top performances season after season at Montpellier in France. Earlier this year he signed a contract extension through to 2024, and at 28-year-old still has plenty of years of top class rugby ahead of him.
Serfontein played 35 times for the Springboks from when he made his debut in 2013 until he took up residency in France in 2017. It has often times been confusing to see him not being selected for the Boks, especially when his fellow centre partner at the Bulls for many years, Jesse Kriel, is constantly selected despite also not playing in South Africa any more.
Will this year finally herald the return to the Springbok set-up of the forgotten man? We will have to wait and see.
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