Springbok icon Victor Matfield has thrown his considerable weight behind the burgeoning career of JJ van der Mescht, predicting the Northampton Saints' lock will be Rassie Erasmus' ace in the hole for 2026. After a somewhat tepid spell at Stade Français, van der Mescht's career has kicked into high gear following his shift to the English club. This upswing captured Erasmus' attention, earning van der Mescht a spot in the virtual alignment camp ahead of the Nations Championship.
Van der Mescht's physical prowess, at nearly 145kg, combined with surprising speed and adept skills, makes him a formidable force. Matfield, speaking on the Rivals podcast, didn't mince words about the potential impact van der Mescht could have, especially in the absence of injured star RG Snyman.
"If you think of a guy like RG Snyman being out for the year, someone like him can maybe come in and play off the bench."
Matfield also highlighted van der Mescht's unique playing style which diverges from traditional lock roles. "He won't be used a lot in the lineout, but he'll be the guy carrying hard in midfield," Matfield explained, emphasizing the lock's skill set, "He's got great skills – offloading, getting through tackles. I think he might just be the big surprise Rassie brings in this year."
The Bok legend also expressed his approval of Embrose Papier's inclusion in Erasmus' plans. After standout performances with the Vodacom Bulls, Papier, overlooked in previous seasons, has now made the cut for the alignment camp.
"The one guy I'm really happy to see there is Embrose Papier,"
Matfield stated, clearly pleased with the scrumhalf's progress.
While some veteran players like Willie le Roux were absent from the camp, Matfield reassured fans, noting that Erasmus has a keen eye for when to infuse new blood into the team while still recognizing the value of experienced players. "One thing Rassie is very good at is that if he feels it’s time to move on or bring someone new in, he’ll do it, but that doesn’t mean the older guys won’t come back if needed," he concluded.
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Springbok icon Victor Matfield has thrown his considerable weight behind the burgeoning career of JJ van der Mescht, predicting the Northampton Saints' lock will be Rassie Erasmus' ace in the hole for 2026. After a somewhat tepid spell at Stade Français, van der Mescht's career has kicked into high gear following his shift to the English club. This upswing captured Erasmus' attention, earning van der Mescht a spot in the virtual alignment camp ahead of the Nations Championship.
Van der Mescht's physical prowess, at nearly 145kg, combined with surprising speed and adept skills, makes him a formidable force. Matfield, speaking on the Rivals podcast, didn't mince words about the potential impact van der Mescht could have, especially in the absence of injured star RG Snyman.
"If you think of a guy like RG Snyman being out for the year, someone like him can maybe come in and play off the bench."
Matfield also highlighted van der Mescht's unique playing style which diverges from traditional lock roles. "He won't be used a lot in the lineout, but he'll be the guy carrying hard in midfield," Matfield explained, emphasizing the lock's skill set, "He's got great skills – offloading, getting through tackles. I think he might just be the big surprise Rassie brings in this year."
The Bok legend also expressed his approval of Embrose Papier's inclusion in Erasmus' plans. After standout performances with the Vodacom Bulls, Papier, overlooked in previous seasons, has now made the cut for the alignment camp.
"The one guy I'm really happy to see there is Embrose Papier,"
Matfield stated, clearly pleased with the scrumhalf's progress.While some veteran players like Willie le Roux were absent from the camp, Matfield reassured fans, noting that Erasmus has a keen eye for when to infuse new blood into the team while still recognizing the value of experienced players. "One thing Rassie is very good at is that if he feels it’s time to move on or bring someone new in, he’ll do it, but that doesn’t mean the older guys won’t come back if needed," he concluded.