Springboks Coach Rassie Erasmus: “Frans Malherbe Was Close to Retiring Last Year”

• Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus revealed that Frans Malherbe nearly retired from international rugby in 2025 due to persistent back issues
• Erasmus said the Springbok management and Malherbe’s close circle urged him not to rush a retirement decision
• Despite the setback, there is renewed optimism around Malherbe’s recovery, keeping him in contention for future Springbok squads

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has shared how legendary South African rugby star Frans Malherbe came close to retiring from international rugby in 2025.

Malherbe has been a cornerstone of South Africa’s forward dominance, playing a pivotal role during an era that delivered back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs. He has been sidelined since March last year, after aggravating a long-standing back complaint during a United Rugby Championship fixture, an injury that ruled him out of the entire 2025 campaign.

The Springboks thrived in his absence, retaining the Rugby Championship title and completing an unbeaten end-of-year tour. Malherbe has not featured for South Africa since their 2024 clash against Argentina in Mpumalanga. He is part of the 49-man squad called up by Erasmus for the alignment camp and has earned 76 caps for South Africa, starting in 63 of those matches.

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Rassie Erasmus on what he advised Malherbe

Erasmus told Rapport that the World Cup winner had seriously considered retiring last year.

“I had a meeting with him last year, and Franna was close to retiring,” Erasmus said.

“Not because he thought he wouldn’t be able to play again, but because he was struggling with his back just to do normal things with his family, things he enjoys. It was frustrating for him.”

Erasmus explained that the Springbok management and Malherbe’s close circle urged him not to rush into a decision he might later regret. Some advised that if he retired, he couldn’t simply decide to come back three years later. While legendary prop Os du Randt famously returned from retirement, Erasmus did not recommend following that path.

“It’s better not to retire with the idea that you might come back in a few years,” he added, stressing that this advice came from both management and Malherbe’s friends.

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Malherbe is on the recovery path

Despite the early retirement concerns, Erasmus maintains that the powerhouse tighthead remains firmly in the national picture.

“We forget how good Frans was for us just two years ago,” he said.

Fears over an early exit from the game grew following the forced retirement of Steven Kitshoff in early 2025 due to a neck injury, raising concerns that Malherbe could face a similar outcome, given the physical demands on front-row forwards.

The experienced prop is currently undergoing an extended rehabilitation program, and there is renewed optimism surrounding his recovery. By opting against high-risk surgical intervention, Malherbe and the Springbok medical staff committed to a cautious treatment plan. Encouraging signs emerged toward the end of last year, suggesting his progress is trending more positively than before, raising hopes for an early return to action.

Approaching his 35th birthday in March, Malherbe is yet to resume full-contact training, but there is hope he could re-enter selection discussions as the URC reaches its decisive stages. Given his value to both the Springboks and the Stormers, medical teams have erred on the side of caution throughout his recovery. Should he regain full fitness, however, Malherbe may yet push his case for inclusion in South Africa’s plans leading into the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

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Erasmus is looking forward to winning the Rugby World Cup for the third time in a row, with Malherbe being part of the Springboks squad that won the last two editions of the competition.

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.

Source: Briefly News