South African Schoolboy Stuns Rugby Fans With 140kg, 6ft 9in Frame at Festival
- An 18-year-old school rugby player has become a viral sensation after his massive physical presence turned heads at a major Easter festival in Pretoria
- Clips and images circulating online show him standing alongside established Springbok forwards, sparking widespread comparisons across social media
- Fans and commentators have reacted with shock and excitement, tipping the young lock as a potential future force in South African rugby
A South African schoolboy rugby star has left fans online in awe after his big body frame and towering height stole the spotlight during a rugby festival.
Source: Facebook
The 18-year-old Sebastian Vermeulen, who is from Rondebosch Boys’ High School, is heavily built, and his giant size caught the eyes of fans worldwide at the Pretoria Boys High 125th Anniversary Easter Rugby Festival last weekend. His height is an incredible 6ft 9in (2.06m), and he tips the scales at a colossal 22 stone (140kg).
Sebastian Vermulen matches the heights of Springboks stars
Vermeulen has been trending as more of his pictures and clips have gone viral on the internet, with photos of him alongside Springboks star RG Snyman, who is one of the most physically imposing players in world rugby and also stands at a similar height to Sebastian. When standing toe to toe with Vermeulen, the usual towering Bok is made to look quite normally sized. The other tall South African rugby star who inevitably got into the mix is the most-capped Springbok star, Eben Etzebeth. Etzebeth and Vermeulen came so close to being equals.
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His size came to the fore when he was being interviewed at the festival by podcaster Simon Phillips. The moment of zen came when the schoolboy had to tower over him while giving his answers. Phillips could not help but remark jokingly that he might be “the biggest rugby player in the world currently.”
Watch the video below:
Rugby fans are stunned and react with awe
Reactions have been quite expected and hilarious:
@bonktr32:
“South African rugby will never ever be the same again once this boy walks into the Springboks squad. Wow. The future is massive.”
@stanly:
“This kid makes Eben Etzebeth look super small. Big boy.”
@julian:
“Things I love to see. Sebastian is a freak of nature. He is so comfortable in his body though.”
@dumio:
“Oh my goodness. Another RG Snyman in the making. He will have a long career if he keeps himself in good shape.”
Source: Facebook
With the way Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus incorporates young blood into the Springboks setup, it would be a few years before fans perhaps see Vermeulen donning the green and gold of South Africa on the international stage. Erasmus, in February 2026, included 11 uncapped players in the Springboks alignment camp squad.
The group of eleven uncapped players included forwards Kai Pratt, Emmanuel Tshituka, Siphosethu Mnebebele, Paul de Villiers, and Riley Norton, who captained the Under-20 team that won the Junior Championships in 2025, as well as fellow teammate Bathobele Hlekani, who joined the Lions at the start of 2026. The backs include Jaco Williams, Sebastian de Klerk, Cheswill Jooste, Markus Muller, and Haashim Pead.
Ex-Junior Bok secures 3-year deal
Briefly News previously reported that Benetton have secured the services of Sharks fly-half Jean Smith on a three-year contract ahead of the new United Rugby Championship season, bringing the 22-year-old back to familiar surroundings in Treviso.
He previously came through the Benetton academy system while his father, Franco Smith, was based in northern Italy
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Source: Briefly News
