🏉 Springboks Boss Rassie Erasmus Names His Top Five Hookers Right Now

🏉 Springboks Boss Rassie Erasmus Names His Top Five Hookers Right Now

 

As South Africa looks ahead to the 2025 international season and builds depth toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made it clear: his hooker stocks are strong, but the pecking order is competitive. While the front‑row pivot remains a priority, Erasmus has stood by his two veteran mainstays, spotlighting the top talent behind them. Here’s a breakdown of Erasmus’s top five hookers right now:

 

 

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1. Malcolm Marx

 

A seasoned pro, Marx (born July 13, 1994) remains Erasmus’s starting hooker of choice. With 71 Test caps and 100 career points, Marx is still a global powerhouse. He’s a consistent presence in major Test lineouts, and his aggressive style at the breakdown, plus his ability to strike from close range, make him a standout. Marx’s performances have earned him recognition—he was named in the 2024 World Rugby Team of the Year .

 

 

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2. Bongi Mbonambi

 

The other half of the veteran duo, Mbonambi (born 1991) brings rich experience—two Rugby World Cups behind him (2019, 2023) and over 67 caps . Known for his accuracy at the lineout and tenacious defense, he provides a steady alternative to Marx’s firepower. Erasmus has continued to trust Mbonambi as a starting option in key Tests .

 

 

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3. Johan Grobbelaar

 

Erasmus recently dubbed Bulls catcher Johan Grobbelaar the clear third-choice hooker in the squad, praising his URC performances and lineout precision . Though uncapped at Test level, his form in franchise rugby has given him a prominent role in alignment camps and tour squads . Grobbelaar represents the immediate bench cover and a rising star in the pack.

 

 

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4. Jan-Hendrik Wessels

 

Versatility is Wessels’s hallmark—capable of playing both prop and hooker, he fills a valuable niche in Erasmus’s selection strategy. Having debuted in 2024, he adds front‑row flexibility. Erasmus has specifically praised his dual‑role ability, calling him vital for squad versatility and future World Cup planning .

 

 

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5. Joseph Dweba / Andre‑Hugo Venter (tie)

 

Erasmus is grooming several youngsters as the long-term future:

 

Joseph Dweba: A proven workhorse, Dweba has been in alignment camps since 2021 but hasn’t broken through recently .

 

Andre‑Hugo Venter: At just 22, he’s also in the mix—on tours and in matchday squads .

 

 

Both are regarded as valuable developmental prospects, and they may fight it out for the final squad spot through strong domestic form.

 

 

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💡 Summary of Erasmus’s Hooker Hierarchy

 

Rank Player Role

 

1 Malcolm Marx First-choice starter

2 Bongi Mbonambi Experienced test stalwart

3 Johan Grobbelaar Third-choice, bench/cover

4 Jan‑Hendrik Wessels Versatile front-row option

5 Joseph Dweba & Andre‑Hugo Venter Next-gen challengers

 

 

 

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Erasmus’s Strategy

 

Erasmus values balance and versatility in his squad. He has notably retained just two specialist hookers—Marx and Mbonambi—for several campaigns, opting instead to include multi-role players like Wessels or rely on emergency cover from the loose‑forwards vice pack . However, he’s also said that growing depth is critical—hence the attention on Grobbelaar as “straightforward third choice,” and the developmental tracking of Dweba and Venter .

 

 

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What This Means for the Future

 

Erasmus is meticulously planning toward 2027. Marx (33 at that time) and Mbonambi (36) are likely to be phased out eventually . Meanwhile, Grobbelaar, Wessels, Dweba, and Venter form a pipeline designed to mature into reliable Test players. Erasmus needs these hooks to adapt to the pace and physicality of Test rugby—he recently emphasized that Grobbelaar and Venter have acclimatized to Test environments, and it’s “straightforward” to back Grobbelaar .

 

 

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Final Take

 

Rassie Erasmus has crafted a hooker hierarchy mixing proven quality with future promise. For now, Marx and Mbonambi remain the foundations, while Grobbelaar and Wessels supply squad adaptability. At the same time, Dweba and Venter complete a transitional group poised to secure the front row by next World Cup.

 

This structured pipeline ensures that when the torch is passed, it will be both strategic and smooth—keeping the Springboks’ hooker tradition strong for years to come.

 

 

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