Has Duane Vermeulen retired as the greatest Bok No 8 of all time?
Vermeulen, whose retirement was announced on Wednesday, made his Test debut against Australia in 2012 and earned 76 caps, the last of which came in winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.
In addition to winning two World Cup titles (2019, 2023), Vermeulen was twice named SA Rugby Player of the Year (2014 and 2020) and holds three Currie Cup titles with three different unions – a feat only accomplished by one other player, Theuns Stofberg.
5444 – Since his debut v Australia in 2012, only Eben Etzebeth (7697) and Willie Le Roux (6362) have played more minutes for the @Springboks than Duane Vermeulen – Vermeulen has also won the joint-most turnovers of any Tier 1 No.8 in that period (66, also Kieran Read). Thor. pic.twitter.com/RxjdFj9IxD
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) November 8, 2023
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The two-time world champion also won Super Rugby Player of the Year in 2014, was nominated for IRB Player of the Year in 2014, was the Super Rugby and Unlocked Player of the Year in 2020, and won the Rugby Championship with the Boks in 2019.
An explosive No 8, Pierre Spies was a force to be reckoned with at his peak.
Spies had a disappointing start to his Bok career, debuting in a 49-0 loss against Australia in the 2006 Tri-Nations, but went from strength to strength after, named Man of the Match on two occasions during the home leg of the competition.
Blood clots in his lungs prevented Spies from playing at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, but the No 8 returned with a bang in 2008 and was nominated for Currie Cup Player of the Year, South African Player of the Year, International Player of the Year, and won South Africa’s Most Promising Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year awards.
Overall, Spies won 53 Test caps, scored seven tries and won the 2009 British & Irish Lions series with the Boks.
Captaining the Boks 36 times, Gary Teichmann is widely regarded as one of South Africa’s most successful captains of all time.
Teichmann made his Bok debut against Wales in 1995, scoring a try in a 40-11 win and was appointed Bok captain a year later.
It was with Nick Mallett at the helm and Teichmann the captain, that the Boks produced a 17-match win streak, their longest unbeaten run to date.
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Teichmann, who won 144 caps with the Sharks, also holds three Currie Cup titles (1992, ’95 and ’96).
Bobby Skinstad represented South Africa at all levels, captaining the Under-21 Springbok side in 1996 and 1997 and playing for the SA Sevens team in 1997, before debuting for the Boks in the same year against England.
Skinstad played 42 Tests during his time with the Boks, scoring 11 tries and captaining the side on 12 occasions.
He won the World Cup with the Boks in 2007, the Tri-Nations in 1998 and three Currie Cup titles with Western Province (1997, 2000 and ’01).
Photo: @Springboks/Twitter