Ranked: Three greatest Springbok right wings of all time

Some of the Springboks’ most iconic stars have played on the wing, and here we pick the top three who wore the No 14 jersey.

Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe. Image: X @Springboks

The Springboks have always been blessed with a regular supply of highly talented players on the wing, and it does make for a tricky job to select the best of the best.

Nevertheless, here we have attempted to rank the Springboks’ greatest three right wings of all time.

*Note: This content series primarily looks at players from the 1990s onwards as the game turned professional

TOP THREE SPRINGBOK RIGHT WINGS OF ALL TIME

1 Cheslin Kolbe

This is a bold selection considering that Kolbe is only 31-years-old and a good few years away from hanging up his boots, but when it comes to a once-in-a-generation player, he stands head and shoulders above anyone else.

Since debuting for the Springboks in 2018, Kolbe’s impact has been nothing short of sensational. He was arguably the team’s most influential player throughout the successful 2019 World Cup, the greatest highlight of which was his stunning try in the final.

Then there was his similarly exceptional solo try that proved series-defining in the third Test against the British & Irish Lions in 2021. And how about his remarkable charge-down of a touchline conversion in the World Cup quarter-final against France in a match that was decided by one point?

Twice a World Rugby Player of the Year nominee (2019 and 2024), and the current SA Rugby Player of the Year, this is someone who has transcended the game, and redefined the role of a wing and what can be achieved by players of smaller stature. And he’s not done yet…

2 JP Pietersen

When it comes to players who challenged the status quo, Pietersen was another who stood tall. Although he started out his career at fullback and left wing, the majority of his 70-cap Springbok career was spent in the No 14 jersey.

Standing 1.90m tall and weighing around 100kgs, Pietersen was not your typical fleet-footed winger, but his long stride and ability to glide through tackles made him one of the most effective wings to ever lace up his boots for the Springboks.

By the age of 23, Pietersen had already formed part of triumphant teams in a World Cup (2007), British & Irish Lions series triumph (2009) and Tri-Nations (2009).

He would go on to forge one of the most iconic wing ‘partnerships’ with Bryan Habana, who is the only player to have started more Bok Test matches than Pietersen on the wing.

3 James Small

Although Breyton Paulse is deserving of a mention after paving the way for future generations during a memorable 64-cap career, there is ultimately no way that someone like trendsetter James Small can be overlooked in this ranking.

Like the aforementioned players, there was simply no one else like Small. Renowned for his combative nature and cavalier character, Small was one of the first true ‘poster boys’ of Springbok rugby.

Of course, one of his most iconic moments saw him manfully defend All Blacks giant Jonah Lomu during the famous 1995 World Cup final.

Small remained a key player for the Springboks over the next couple of years, and played in the first Test of the British & Irish Lions series of 1997 before he made his exit from the international scene after scoring a brace of tries in South Africa’s 68-10 drubbing of Scotland on the end-of-year tour.

He ultimately racked up 20 tries in 47 Tests, and when he tragically passed away in 2019, the rugby world mourned the loss of a true icon of the game.

*NOTE: Jannie Engelbrecht falls outside of the criteria for selection, but deserves a special mention as a player from the 1960s who became renowned as a try-scoring machine over 33 Springbok games and numerous other ‘non-international’ matches in the green and gold.