Ranked: Three most lethal Springbok attacking players
The Springboks have always been renowned for their physicality and forward dominance, but over the years the four-time world champs have also boasted some of the most thrilling attacking players.
In this ongoing series, we attempt to rank the most lethal attackers of all time.
1 Danie Gerber
Arguably the greatest Springbok of all time, Gerber was a once-in-a-generation player who had the most incredible natural attacking ability.
He was renowned for his pace, strength, powerful sidestep and ability to read the game, as evidenced by his 19 tries in just 24 Tests. In fact, this leaves him with a 79.2% try ratio, placing him at the summit of the Springbok list for players who have featured in 10 or more Tests.
Gerber was an iconic player, and his attacking prowess is simply the stuff of legend.
2 Bryan Habana
Over an illustrious career that encompassed 124 Tests, Habana established himself as one of the most iconic wingers of all time, having announced himself on the world stage with a try-on debut against England in 2004.
At the 2007 World Cup, he equalled the record for most tries scored in a single World Cup (8), set by the late great Jonah Lomu in 1999, and ultimately he remains the Springboks' leading try-scorer (67).
It wasn't just his try-scoring heroics that made Habana such a lethal threat, though, it was his searing pace, ability to read attacking opportunities as well as his physical power.
3 Cheslin Kolbe
The diminutive winger has redefined what 'smaller' players can achieve on the Test stage, with his iconic tries in the 2019 World Cup final and 2021 British & Irish Lions series sure to forever hold down a special place in Springbok history.
Kolbe could sidestep someone in a phone booth, with his speed and elusive running having made him one of the most influential X factor stars in world rugby.
A truly special player with individual highlights reels for the ages, there is no doubt that Kolbe deserves his place on the podium of attacking greats.
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