A Blindsided Rugby Man Special Edition
They said the Springboks had conquered everything. The World Cups. The Lions. The “ugly rugby” tag. The post-RWC hangover. And finally – gloriously – the Dublin shadows that hung over them for well over a decade.
Their sound defeat of Ireland in Dublin in late 2025 wasn’t just another victory; it was the closing chapter of a golden era that started in Yokohama in 2019 and refused to end. With that win, the Springboks completed their own final frontier, officially sealing their place as one of the most ruthlessly dominant teams rugby has ever seen.
And yet, for all the parades, arguments, tactical deep dives, and pub-table theorising, there remains one arena untouched, one question deliberately unasked:
What would happen if the greatest All Blacks team of the modern era (2011–2015) toured against the greatest Springbok team of the modern era (2019-2025)?
Not to settle a debate.
Not to calm the comment sections.
But simply to fantasise in theorem.
To turn the chalkboard into a battlefield.
To turn the “what if” into a match-day sheet.
To give shape to the rivalry rugby never got to witness.
So here it is – the objectively selected match-day 23s for each side, broken down by positional grouping, with only one rule:
Sentiment is banned. Reputation is taxed. Form and importance decide everything.
THE SPRINGBOKS MATCH-DAY 23 (2019–2025 ERA)
Selected on importance, peak form, and irreplaceability in the Bok system
PROPS (3)
1. Ox Nché
The greatest impact loosehead the Springboks have ever fielded. Mythical scrummager. Impossible to move. The year 2025 only confirmed what French, English, and New Zealand packs had learned the hard way.
3. Frans Malherbe
The metronome. The man who stabilises everything. The anchor of two World Cup wins. If the Boks have a heartbeat, it probably sounds like his scrum cadence.
Bench: Trevor Nyakane (18)
Elite at both sides of the scrum during this era. Versatility + raw power = non-negotiable.
HOOKERS (2)
2. Malcolm Marx
Injury interruptions do not erase status. The most impactful hooker in world rugby when fit. Breakdown monster. Lineout authority. The heartbeat of the Bomb Squad.
Bench: Bongi Mbonambi (16)
One of the most consistent hookers in Bok history. Brings leadership, calm, and guaranteed set-piece security.
LOCKS (3)
4. Eben Etzebeth
No explanation needed. The defining enforcer of his generation. The greatest Springbok lock of the professional era.
5. Lood de Jager
At his peak (2019-2021), he was the Boks’ lineout supercomputer. The glue in every defensive system. The perfect complement to Etzebeth.
Bench: RG Snyman (19)
The ultimate super-sub lock. The chaos merchant. The offload cleric. The man who breaks games open in the last quarter.
LOOSE FORWARDS (4)
6. Siya Kolisi (c)
Not for sentiment – for impact. No flank in this era turned momentum like Kolisi. A leader who won games with presence of mind, big tackles, and emotional ignition.
7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
The most destructive defensive forward of the modern age. Player of the Year calibre in both 2019 and 2024. A one-man territory machine.
8. Duane Vermeulen
At his peak, the general. The clutch king. World Cup 2019’s true giant. No Bok system works without a cerebral 8 who controls tempo at ruck time.
Bench: Kwagga Smith (20)
The Swiss Army Knife. Breakdown demon. High-speed link forward. Game-changer in the Bomb Squad pattern.
SCRUMHALVES (2)
9. Faf de Klerk
The singular architect of the Bok defensive system. Tactical genius. The kicking fight’s Zeus. When Faf plays well, the Boks win.
Bench: Cobus Reinach (21)
The accelerator. Lightning transition play. One of the greatest Bok bench weapons of the era.
FLYHALF (1)
10. Handré Pollard
Ice in the veins. Two World Cups decided with his boot. A defensive 10 who absorbs pressure like a front-rower. The general who built an empire.
Bench: Manie Libbok (22)
Very, very underrated creator. Could conduct a backline consisting of logs of wood and traffic cones.
CENTRES (3)
12. Damian de Allende
The glue. The carrier. The midfield furnace. The man who created gainline victories out of nothing for six straight seasons.
13. Jesse Kriel
The revival. From understudy to elite world-class operator. One of the best defensive 13s on earth in the late-era Boks.
Bench: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (23)
A bold choice – but necessary. Covers 10/12/15, has an elite boot, and fits the modern Bok tactical evolution.
OUTSIDE BACKS (3)
11. Cheslin Kolbe
A human glitch in the rugby matrix. The miracle finisher. The playmaker. The sidestep that stops time.
14. Kurt-Lee Arendse
The predator. Lethal finishing + aerial brilliance + system intelligence. One of the most efficient wings in world rugby.
15. Damian Willemse
From project player to complete Test fullback. Brave, powerful, tactically mature, and elite under the high ball.
SPRINGBOK MATCH-DAY 23 SUMMARY
- Ox Nché
- Malcolm Marx
- Frans Malherbe
- Eben Etzebeth
- Lood de Jager
- Siya Kolisi (c)
- Pieter-Steph du Toit
- Duane Vermeulen
- Faf de Klerk
- Handré Pollard
- Cheslin Kolbe
- Damian de Allende
- Jesse Kriel
- Kurt-Lee Arendse
- Damian Willemse
Bench:
16. Mbonambi
17. Kitshoff
18. Nyakane
19. Snyman
20. Smith
21. Reinach
22. Libbok
23. SFM
THE ALL BLACKS MATCH-DAY 23 (2011–2015 ERA)
Selected solely on peak importance and irreplaceability
PROPS (3)
1. Tony Woodcock
World Cup final try-scorer. Tactical scrummager. Ironman.
3. Owen Franks
The technician. Near-perfect scrummaging profile. Defensively tireless.
Bench: Wyatt Crockett (17)
Massive engine. Impact loosehead. Essential in the 60-80 zone.
HOOKERS (2)
2. Dane Coles
Redefined the position. Pace, aggression, distribution – a 4th backline player.
Bench: Keven Mealamu (16)
Leadership. Lineout surety. Big-game temperament.
LOCKS (3)
4. Brodie Retallick
The most complete lock of his generation. Combines physicality with absurd skill.
5. Sam Whitelock
Durability + intelligence. One of the great lineout prosecutors.
Bench: Luke Romano (19)
The unsung hero of the era. Tactical lock. Reliable everywhere.
LOOSE FORWARDS (4)
6. Jerome Kaino
Defensive sledgehammer. Breakdown intimidator. Big-play machine.
7. Richie McCaw (c)
The greatest openside of all time. Period.
8. Kieran Read
The offloading genius. Tactical general. Elite aerial forward.
Bench: Liam Messam (20)
Modern, mobile, and positionally versatile. Fits every AB pattern.
SCRUMHALVES (2)
9. Aaron Smith
The premier passer of the era. Tempo dictator. Untouchable service.
Bench: TJ Perenara (21)
Energy + spark + high-intensity pressure. Perfect final-quarter weapon.
FLYHALF (1)
10. Dan Carter
The benchmark. The blueprint. The standard.
CENTRES (3)
12. Ma’a Nonu
From wrecking ball to tactical genius. Better with every year.
13. Conrad Smith
The Professor. Defensive clairvoyance. The perfect foil.
Bench: Sonny Bill Williams (23)
The nuclear option. Offload king. Momentum flipper.
OUTSIDE BACKS (3)
11. Julian Savea
The Bus. Try-scoring monster at his peak.
14. Ben Smith
Mr. Reliable. Elite in every single skill set.
15. Israel Dagg
Lethal boot. Counter-attack maestro. Form in 2011–2012 was unplayable.
ALL BLACKS MATCH-DAY 23 SUMMARY
- Woodcock
- Coles
- Franks
- Retallick
- Whitelock
- Kaino
- McCaw (c)
- Read
- Smith
- Carter
- Savea
- Nonu
- C. Smith
- B. Smith
- Dagg
Bench:
16. Mealamu
17. Crockett
18. Faumuina
19. Romano
20. Messam
21. Perenara
22. Barrett
23. SBW
CLOSING NOTE
There it is:
The ruthless 23 vs 23.
The two greatest teams of their eras, selected without nostalgia or politics.
This isn’t a prediction.
It’s a theorem.
A fantasy built from fact.
A rivalry born of possibility.
The only thing left to do now…
is imagine the kickoff.
