Much is made of Rassie Erasmus’s selections for his alignment camps in South Africa, but much of what has defined the success of the Springboks comes from those playing club rugby in Japan.
And primary to that elite group of stars is Cheslin Kolbe.
Out of sight is often out of mind, but in Kolbe’s case, it can never be so. Equally true for those World Cup-winning Springboks who turn up every weekend and excel in the Japanese leagues.
Kolbe had a stunning league season for Tokyo Sungoliath, where he added goalkicking to his responsibilities and his match-winning influence.
The Japanese play-offs are happening this weekend, but in the league, Kolbe was a points machine; topping the table with 185 points from 16 matches. His 185 points included nine tries.
World Cup winner and Boks No 10 Manie Libbok, who plays for Hanazono Kinetsu Liners in the Japanese Second Division, topped the list with 165 points from 14 matches.
Boks hooker Malcolm Marx — whose 33 tries in 56 matches is the most scored historically by a foreign-based player in Japan’s Division One — has been a consistent standout, while Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Faf de Klerk, Kwagga Smith and Franco Smith are always in the rugby news for all the right reasons.
Big names
Lukhanyo Am too has had his moments in his brief time in Japan, and Lood de Jager, when he has played, has been a presence.
Pieter-Steph du Toit, one of the big names at Toyota Verblitz, has been plagued by injury since joining the club four years ago. In the same period, he played 38 club matches and 37 Test matches for the Springboks.
Jasper Wiese, who relocated to Japan from England’s Leicester, has also struggled with injury lay-offs, but he has been impressive when he has played.
Outside of Japan, Thomas du Toit has been the most talked-about prop in England and Europe. He was central to Bath’s charge to the Investec Championship Cup semifinal and he has been outstanding in the English Premiership.
He will return to South Africa to play for the Sharks next season, but his impact for Bath is like that made by Andre Esterhuizen during his three seasons for London’s Harlequins.
Erasmus’s overseas-based selections highlight his trust in a core group of players who have won everything with the Springboks, but he has recognised the form of Bordeaux tighthead prop Carlu Sadie and Northampton Saints lock JJ van der Mescht.
Both are uncapped at Test level but were named in the only overseas-based Boks alignment camp this year.
Sadie started for Bordeaux in yesterday’s Investec Champions Cup final against Leinster, marking his eighth successive start in eight tournament matches in 2025/26.
In 2025/26, he has started in 24 of his 30 matches for Bordeaux.
Career peaking
The 29-year-old’s career is peaking after a decade spent playing in Super Rugby, Super Rugby Unlocked, Rainbow Cup SA, the United Rugby Championship, France’s Top 14 and the Investec Champions Cup.
Sadie is a former South Africa under-20 international who has played for the Stormers, Stade Francais, the Lions, the Sharks and Bordeaux.
Van der Mescht played three seasons for the Sharks in South Africa before moving to Paris where he played 87 matches in four seasons for Stade Francais.
He signed for Northampton Saints in England, where he had made his biggest on-field statement by starting 19 of his 24 matches.
Erasmus also rewarded French-based Jean-Luc du Preez and Herschel Jantjies and Boan Venter (Scotland) and Marnus van der Merwe (Wales) in the group of 21.
Surprisingly, No 8 Juarno Augustus was not invited.
Augustus was picked by Erasmus last season but withdrew because of injury. He had been fantastic for Northampton Saints. This season, playing for Ulster, he has been just as good.
The Boks, a month out from their international season opener against the Barbarians on June 20th, are in good health in most of the positions.
Lock and scrumhalf are the two areas where there are opportunities for newbies because of injury to Test regulars.
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