NOTHING SIGNIFIES THE arrival of pure Springbok beef like their teak-tough names. This weekend alone they have a Marcel Coetzee, a Duane Vermeulen and a lad called The Beast.
The arrival of such epic monikers got us thinking of some of the classic Springbok names and we put together our all-time favourite South African XV based solely on how they sound when rolling of our tongues.
15. Stefan Terblanche
Ahhhhh… say it with me now – Terblanche. It sounds exactly like how a South African fullback should sound. Just look how much panache Eddie Butler delivers the name with here.
14. De Wet Barry
I’m not up to date on how South African’s name their children, but ol’ De Wet’s parents must have been suffering from Springbok meat induced psychosis when they named the former Harlequins centre.
13. Marius Joubert
Marius is just one in a long line of Springbok Jouberts and anyone who has ever played Jonah Lomu Rugby will remember Bill McClaren’s delivery of ‘Jouberrrrrr’.
This commentator makes a good go of it too.
12. Gaffie Du Toit
What makes this name up there with the best, is that if you go in cold, you could pronounce it about five or six ways.
I’m ashamed to say that as a young rugby fan I butchered it with ‘Gaffy Do Toy-t’.
11. Lwazi Mvovo
Mvovo is still playing but makes the team because of how much fun it is to elongate his name to ‘Mmmmmmvovo’.
10. Jannie De Beer
He scored five drop goals against England in the 1999 World Cup quarter-final but if the first thing you picture when you hear his name isn’t an ice cold lager then you are a LIAR.
9. Joost van der Westhuizen
An all-time great rugby player who unfortunately is seriously ill at the moment with motor neurons disease. We wish him all the best.
1. Os du Randt
Os beat off stiff competition from Tendai ‘The Beast’ Mtawarira but seniority pays off in this selection and the two-time World Cup winner gets the nod for having three separate words in his name, which is very lucrative.
2. Chiliboy Ralepelle
What can you say about this name? I’ll leave it at unusual.
3. Gurthro Steenkamp
Big Gurthro is being moved to tighthead because he has such an imposing name. He even sounds like a giant, and then you see him and your suspicions are confirmed.
4. Bakkies Botha
You couldn’t have a South African name XV without including the man whose name and style embody what it means to be a South African forward.
A man named Bakkies would have his own seven minute fight compilation.
5. Lodewyk de Jager
De Jager has only played seven times for South Africa but with such a Springbokian name he is sure to get at least 150 caps.
6. Rassie Erasmus
This could be the best name of the lot. Have thousands of Irish student revelers traveled the world because of an international exchange initiative named for this flanker? Nobody can know for sure, but the answer has to be yes.
7. Schalk Burger
This name is almost as tough as he is although I doubt a name could do this to Luke Fitzgerald.
8. Ryan Kankowski
Ryan completes the XV because of the Springbok twist (Can-cough-ski) he puts on what should be a standard pronunciation.
What is your favourite Springbok name of all-time?
Corne Krige would have neen the first name in my list which would have included:
Braam Van Straten
Henry Honiball
Tinus Delporte
Daan Human
Brayton Paulse
Dewald Poitiger
Percy Montgomery
In fact the only guy to ever play for SA who has a normal name is John Smit.
Juan smith too
Percy Montgomery a world cup winner and miss world winner,talented bloke.
First name that came to my mind! I still have yer man who does the commentary for Super Sport saying his name with a flourish and one or two more syllables that necessary echoing in my ears
Extremely talented player Montgomery
He’s Canadian but DTH Van Der Merve’s a guddin.
Flip van der Merwe?
Personal favourite is Naka Drotské, but also a big fan of Wikus van Heerden, Krynauw Otto, Japie Mulder and the name that epitomises South African rugby: Marius Hurter.
Boom Prinsloo not a bad name for a back row
Willie Le Roux
My god you forget how physical bakkies botha can really get. Leave aside the obvious head buts and punches. He bring something special to the field
No no no..imagine bill mclaren saying “stefan terblanche
Imagine royal nugent saying it!
Ah was really looking forward to reading an All Time Springboks XV… but your right an article about how silly the names of foreigners are is much better and in keeping with theScore….
Jouberrrrtttt
Loved that game
Jacques Potgieter and Heinrich Brüssow
Os Du Randt’s full name is Jacobus Petrus “Os” du Randt. Os being the afrikaans for Ox.
Bakkies Botha’s full name is John Philip “Bakkies” Botha.
What is Chilliboy’s real name?
How can you leave out Bismarck du Plessis? His first name alone makes him a shoein for any kind of name based list
Was Chiliboy Ralepele a political pick over Bismarck du Plessis?
A few others would be Dean Greyling, Frik du Preez, Doppies la Grange and Jaco van der Westhuizen
Moaner van heerden and louis moolman powerful second row combo in 1980′s
Johann Muller!
Doppies La Grange and Lappies Labuschagne
I’d love a BJ…Botha on my team
Always felt terblanche / terre blanche was offensively huguenot – afrikaner, also doesn’t bakkies mean tank in afrikaans?
Bakkies is the Afrikaans slang for a pickup truck that the Afrikaaner farmers use, like a Toyota hilux
Os Du Randt’s full name is Jacobus Petrus ” Os ” du Randt. Os means Ox in Afrikaans. Bakkies Botha’s full name is John Philip ” Bakkies ” Botha.