When reflecting on the careers of some talented Springboks, there is no doubt that certain players deserved to earn many more Test caps.
Over the past three decades of Springbok rugby since the start of the professional era, there are numerous players who could be singled out for possessing all the necessary attributes to have made many more international appearances, if not for unfortunate circumstances.
However, in this article, we take a specific look at three cases truly resonate in this regard.
THREE SPRINGBOKS WHO DESERVED BETTER
Juan Smith
The talented loose forward played in 70 Tests for the Springboks, and during an illustrious career, he did part of the Rugby World Cup winning squad in 2007, won the Tri-Nations (in 2009) and was a member of the Bok squad that overcame the British & Irish Lions in 2009.
He also enjoyed an iconic career for the Cheetahs, but there is simply no doubt that Smith would have earned over 100 caps for the Springboks if not for a debilitating injury.
His Test career effectively came to a premature end when he was still just 29 years old after Smith injured his Achilles early in 2011, and underwent four operations over the next couple of years as he sought to fight his way back onto the rugby pitch.
In one of the great comeback stories, he finally made a recovery and was famously recalled by the Springboks in 2014 – starting in a hard-fought win over Argentina – but unfortunately he was unable to make a meaningful return to action at the highest level after such a lengthy period out of the game.
Pat Lambie
When Pat Lambie made his Springbok debut at the age of 20, he was already one of the ‘poster boys’ in South African rugby, and possessed all the raw talent to become a true great of the game.
Over the next few years, Lambie would feature consistently for the Springboks, ultimately racking up over 50 caps before a career-defining incident against Ireland.
In the first half of that match on 11 June 2016, Lambie was knocked out cold in a collision with Ireland loose forward CJ Stander, and it was ultimately the beginning of the end to his Test career.
Having battled with concussion and the after-effects of multiple head injuries, Lambie continued to suffer from symptoms such as migraines and nausea that would not go away despite a variety of treatments.
After dealing with an ongoing battle with Post-Concussion Syndrome, Lambie was eventually given the all-clear to play again, but fortune was just not on his side as he suffered a couple more serious head knocks that led to further symptoms and setbacks.
Ultimately, at the age of 28, he announced that he had been forced into retirement on medical grounds, bringing a premature end to a career that could have been so different if not for these unfortunate incidents.
Steven Kitshoff
The most recent example is that of Kitshoff, another player who did still enjoy a wonderful career, racking up 83 Test caps and winning two World Cups along the way.
However, at the age of 33, the powerful prop announced that he been forced into premature retirement after medical experts confirmed it would be potentially life-threatening to attempt a comeback from a serious neck injury suffered last year.
With the injury having been sustained high up on his neck – at the C1 and C2 vertebra – the risk was just too much to consider any return to play, especially as a prop.
“It is obviously incredibly disappointing for my career to end in this way, but unfortunately the risk to my wellbeing was simply too high,” he com
Kitshoff also acknowledged also admitted that he had begun to realise that he was not keeping pace with some of the younger players in recent times, but there is still no doubt that the Springboks would have still hoped to have him available through to the next World Cup.
Whether the front rower would have been able to make it all the way to the global showpiece in 2027 would have remained to be seen, but there is also no doubt that he would been able to at least get to 100 caps.
