South Africans Set to Light Up Six Nations

A slew of South African-born stars will spice up this year’s Six Nations, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

As far as mercenaries are concerned, few are as sought after as the physical specimens from the Rainbow Nation.

New Sale Sharks Director of Rugby, Alex Sanderson, who has Springboks Coenie Oosthuizen, Akker van der Merwe, Lood de Jager, the Du Preez brothers, Faf de Klerk and Rohan Janse van Rensburg in his ranks, recently shed light on why South Africans are in such high demand.

“Well most of them, with the exception of Faf, are massive, which helps,” Sanderson said on the RugbyPass ‘All Access’ podcast. “They are very polite, which is always nice. They are easily coachable. You can push them in ways that you can push people who have been brought in the public schools or academy systems in this country, so the transition of them coming to South Africa from England, it’s not like you have to adapt your coaching methodology.

“They fit into what you are used to yourself as a coach or as a player in this country, whereas maybe some nationalities because of the cultural divide and their upbringing; it’s not the same fit. In relative terms, they are seemingly less money orientated. Obviously, money talks and the Pound is strong against the Rand.

“They are quite spiritual, or at least religious. They already understand the principle of buying into a higher purpose, something that transcends a workplace and an accolade, and if you can get a big guy who’s motivated with a sense of higher purpose, then you’ve got a bit of a warrior there haven’t you,” he added.

With the Six Nations kicking off this weekend, we take a look at the nine elite expats who’ll be showcasing their skills in the northern hemisphere showcase.

Paul Willemse (France)

A Pretoria-born punisher. Willemse was a member of the Junior Springbok side who won the World Rugby U20 Championship on home soil in 2012 and made his Super Rugby debut for the Lions that same year. He joined the Bulls the following year before setting sail to France in 2014. A stint with Grenoble led to the leviathan of a lock’s big break – an offer from Montpellier – where he’s become a club legend. He made his Test debut in the 2019 Six Nations opener against Wales and brings immense firepower to the French pack as an enforcer.

Bernard le Roux (France)

Fate seemingly led Le Roux to France. A call the evening before he was due to sign a contract with the Lions saw him join Racing 92 as a medical joker instead in 2010 and he soon earned a long-term contract. A typically bruising South African brute, the man from Moorreesburg stands 1.97m tall and weighs 116kg. Equally adept at flank and lock, Le Roux’s been a linchpin in Les Bleus since making his Test bow against the All Blacks back in 2013.

Braam Steyn (Italy)

Born in Cradock, the former Junior Springbok started his senior career at the Sharks in 2012 before jetting off to Italy. A battle-hardened back-rower who’s closing in on a century of caps for Benetton, Steyn has been a stalwart for the Azzurri as well, having represented his adopted nation on 44 occasions since 2016. One of Italy’s most impressive players at the 2019 World Cup, the 28-year-old’s part of the leadership group and is playing under a fellow South African in coach Franco Smith.

Quinn Roux (Ireland)

From Affies to the Emerald Isle. It’s been quite the journey for Roux, with the Pretoria-born lock even making his Irish debut against the Springboks at Ellis Park in 2016. After just four Super Rugby appearances for the Stormers, he linked up with Leinster in 2012 and won the Challenge Cup with the powerhouse club, however, it’s at Connacht where he came into his own. He’s won over 100 caps and captained the club and has 16 Tests under his belt.

CJ Stander (Ireland)

Undoubtedly the best of the bunch, the supremely talented Stander is the biggest loss to South African rugby. Athletic and abrasive, he’s been one of the best back-rowers in the world and top performers for Ireland since he burst onto the international arena with a Man of the Match performance against Wales in 2016. Born in George, the former Bulls star boasts a British and Irish Lions Test cap, having come off the bench in the final Test of the drawn series against the All Blacks in 2017, and will once again be a key player for the Irish.

WP Nel (Scotland)

Nel crept closer and closer to a Springbok call-up as a consistent performer for the Cheetahs, who he represented in 56 Currie Cup games and 46 Super Rugby matches before he changed course and joined Edinburgh in 2012. A mobile tighthead, strong ball carrier and powerful scrummager, Loeriesfontein-born Nel has been an excellent servant of Scottish rugby, powering them in two World Cups and 40 Tests to date.

Oli Kebble (Scotland)

A teammate of Willemse’s in the world-beating South African Under-20 class of 2012, he seemed destined to follow in his father Guy’s footsteps by packing down for the Springboks. Instead, Glasgow proved to be the promising prop’s gateway to Test rugby after he’d cut his teeth at the Stormers for a few seasons. Kebble made his Scotland debut at the age of 28 against Georgia last October, featured in all four subsequent Tests and will be spoiling to shake things up in his maiden Six Nations.

Jaco van der Walt (Scotland)

While colossal forwards court the most offers from foreign clubs, South African-born backs can also reach the pinnacle abroad. Granted, it’s a long shot, especially if you’re a flyhalf, but Randfontein-born Van der Walt’s the type of talent who cannot be ignored. The former Lions playmaker, who can play fullback as well, won the 2018/19 Guinness PRO14 Golden Boot and scored 11 points in his Scotland debut against Ireland last December. With question marks over Finn Russell’s fitness, the 27-year-old could play a key role for the Scots in his first Six Nations.

Jaco van der Walt with a neat try assist for Edinburgh ?️??️

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag)

Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland)

Van der Walt’s Edinburgh teammate is another undeniable backline talent, so much so that he was named the 2019/20 PRO14 Players’ Player of the Season. Another ex-Junior Springbok, Van der Merwe is a monster of a winger at 1.93m and 106kg. With his natural gifts and world-class work rate, he’s a try-scoring machine set to take the Six Nations by storm. The George-born speedster made his Scotland debut in the same game as Kebble and crossed the whitewash before closing out 2020 with tries against Italy and Ireland.