The Springboks are currently leading the pack in world rugby, and former hooker Hanyani 'Shimmy' Shimange is vocal about the unmatchable depth of Rassie Erasmus' squad. Following their emphatic 43-10 thrashing of the All Blacks in Wellington, South Africa has cemented its top spot in the World Rugby rankings, demonstrating the rich vein of talent at their disposal.
Erasmus, known for his strategic squad rotations, played his younger backs against New Zealand, a move that not only paid off but also showcased his foresight in building a robust team for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Despite a surprising defeat to the Wallabies in Johannesburg, Shimange praises this approach for placing the Boks in an enviable position. On The Verdict podcast, he expressed his confidence in the team's depth, "If you look at the schedule for the end-of-year tour, you actually need two squads. You look at Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, they’ve still got a lot to offer."
"What we're actually doing now, I think we're a step ahead and there's a gap in terms of that in world rugby. I can't think of a better squad."
While Shimange boasts about the Springboks' robust lineup, Springbok legend Schalk Burger acknowledges a close competitor. "I'll tell you who's got a lot of depth, it's France," he countered, slightly challenging Shimange's view of the Boks' clear dominance.
The 2025 season has been particularly stellar for Erasmus' squad, with their victory over the All Blacks marking a high point. Both Shimange and Burger rated that performance highly. Shimange noted, "If we're going to nit-pick, we’ll say we missed a lineout on the five-metre, we did this, we did that." Burger added, "In the first half, there were a few skill execution [errors], some knock-ons here and there. You go into half-time trailing and think maybe we’re watching a horror movie, but if you go through the whole game, our plan was perfect and we absolutely dominated."
The debate continues on whether Erasmus will revert to his 'Bomb Squad' or stick with the winning formula that decimated the All Blacks. Either way, with such depth and strategic acumen, the Springboks are setting a daunting pace on the international rugby stage.
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The Springboks are currently leading the pack in world rugby, and former hooker Hanyani 'Shimmy' Shimange is vocal about the unmatchable depth of Rassie Erasmus' squad. Following their emphatic 43-10 thrashing of the All Blacks in Wellington, South Africa has cemented its top spot in the World Rugby rankings, demonstrating the rich vein of talent at their disposal.
Erasmus, known for his strategic squad rotations, played his younger backs against New Zealand, a move that not only paid off but also showcased his foresight in building a robust team for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Despite a surprising defeat to the Wallabies in Johannesburg, Shimange praises this approach for placing the Boks in an enviable position. On The Verdict podcast, he expressed his confidence in the team's depth, "If you look at the schedule for the end-of-year tour, you actually need two squads. You look at Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, they’ve still got a lot to offer."
"What we're actually doing now, I think we're a step ahead and there's a gap in terms of that in world rugby. I can't think of a better squad."
While Shimange boasts about the Springboks' robust lineup, Springbok legend Schalk Burger acknowledges a close competitor. "I'll tell you who's got a lot of depth, it's France," he countered, slightly challenging Shimange's view of the Boks' clear dominance.
The 2025 season has been particularly stellar for Erasmus' squad, with their victory over the All Blacks marking a high point. Both Shimange and Burger rated that performance highly. Shimange noted, "If we're going to nit-pick, we’ll say we missed a lineout on the five-metre, we did this, we did that." Burger added, "In the first half, there were a few skill execution [errors], some knock-ons here and there. You go into half-time trailing and think maybe we’re watching a horror movie, but if you go through the whole game, our plan was perfect and we absolutely dominated."
The debate continues on whether Erasmus will revert to his 'Bomb Squad' or stick with the winning formula that decimated the All Blacks. Either way, with such depth and strategic acumen, the Springboks are setting a daunting pace on the international rugby stage.