Makazole Mapimpi, 2 Springboks Legends Whose Careers Are Coming to an End and Their Replacements
- Rassie Erasmus is working on adding new young players to the Springboks squad, with some of the experienced stars nearing the end of their careers
- Makazole Mapimpi is joined by two other Springboks veterans nearing the end of their rugby careers and might not be going to the World Cup
- There are young South African rugby stars already in place to replace the Springboks trio ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia
The Springboks' head coach, Rassie Erasmus, is ushering in a new era for the South African rugby national team, as players with legendary careers are coming to an end with their successors ready to take over.
Source: Getty Images
The back-to-back Rugby World Cup winners had a good 2025 season, retaining their Rugby Championship title and also going unbeaten during the end-of-year tour.
The Springboks are looking good heading into the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, with new young players emerging and delivering for the team.
Erasmus is looking forward to winning the World Cup for the third time in a row with his team now filled with bright young rugby stars.
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Springboks trio entering career end
Makazole Mapimpi, and other veterans Willie le Roux and Faf de Klerk appear to be entering the final phases of their distinguished international careers with the Springboks, with their replacements already in place.
The three South African veteran rugby stars have amassed 208 Test appearances, with Le Roux leading the way with 101 appearances, followed by de Klerk with 60, while Mapimpi comes in last with 47 appearances under his belt. The remarkable appearances from the trio showed how much they've offered their talent in the green and gold jersey.
The three Springboks stars were shown direct signals during the 2025 campaign by Erasmus as they were a gradual succession plan being put in place, and despite them being fully fit, they missed out on squad selection for several major matches.
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Mapimpi, Le Roux, FAF replacements in Springboks
Mapimpi featured in just a single Test during the 2025 season as he was part of the senior players who were least featured in the squad.
The 35-year-old was part of the team that defeated Italy in a commanding 45–0 victory at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in July 2025, and he was not called up for the rest of the season.
Watch the highlights of the SA vs Italy match in this YouTube video:
Even after Kurt-Lee Arendse sustained an injury, Mapimpi was not recalled. Instead, Erasmus handed an opportunity to emerging winger Ethan Hooker. Arendse and Hooker are seen as perfect replacements for Mapimpi and could be on the plane for the World Cup next year.
Le Roux made his 100th cap in 2025, and was omitted from the Springboks squad after his poor performance during SA's defeat against the All Blacks at Eden Park, also missing the end-of-the-year tour.
Source: Getty Images
Erasmus has two players competing for the number 15 position, Damien Willemse and Aphelele Fassi, and they are both ready to take over.
De Klerk, who is also a two-time World Cup winner, made just two substitute appearances in 2025, against Italy at Loftus Versfeld and Georgia at Mbombela Stadium. Despite remaining injury-free, he did not log a single minute during the Rugby Championship and was omitted from the end-of-year touring squad.
In his absence, Cobus Reinach assumed the starting role in most Tests, with Grant Williams serving as the primary impact option from the bench. Morne van den Berg provided depth and rotational cover across the campaign.
Springboks star ruled out of the season
Briefly News also reported that a Springboks star has suffered a season-ending injury, which means he is set to be out for a long period in 2026.
The South African rugby star's injury comes as bad news for both his club and the Springboks as he's now expected to undergo surgery in a few days.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
