Springbok Rugby - The Greatest Ever Flanks

The next video in our series focuses on the flanks. This is arguably the one position that has consistently delivered the greatest players over the years. A lot of thought has gone into this list of ten players and we've narrowed it down to these legends.
Of course there will be some players who folks will feel need to be on here (Rassie Erasmus, Francois Pienaar), but if we look at ability , these players stood out in our opinion. That is not the point of the video. We want to celebrate these 10 who we've felt deserves recognition.
We hope you enjoy the video. Thanks for watching!

[@MeanAzz_13]

Andre Venter my fav. The man was nearly 2m tall and could run like the wind. Just a hard man that was full throttle ahead. Sad to hear about his condition and the loss of Joost V.W much respect to two of the *Greats!* From a Kiwi 👍

[@mattyb3780]

It was criminal how underutilised Brussow was because of "lack of size"

[@Deontjie]

Agree. He did not win the fight. He won the ball. Every time.

[@Bluesplayer789]

100%

[@simorf]

And then there was Pieter Steph Du Toit...

[@johannblignaut1966]

Werner your dedication to rugby and its bygoe history really appreciated.

[@RealRugby]

Dankie Johann! Ek waardeer die terugvoer. Ek is bly jy geniet die videos

[@zabaleta66]

Kiwi again, Theuns Stofberg and Jan Ellis for mine. Tempted to put a flyer in for Ellis but you guys seem to like your big flank combos. Martin Pelser, Piet Greyling, Francois Pienaar, the awesome Ruben Kruger, Burger Geldenhuys, Rob Louw, underrated Boland Coetzee, Andre Venter, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger. There's a host of great flankers....like us Kiwis, when the combination is balanced, it brings out the best.

[@12gorman34]

I think that's why be both have historically dominated international rugby, The absolute amount of world class flakers we seem to produce is unmatched anywhere else in the world. Its hard to pinpoint a AB/Springbok squad that did not have excellent loose forwards. Just wish we had the ability to churn out world class flyhalves like you guys.

[@cheetahcheetah3756]

wow. forgot all those. the 10 to 20 list maybe..haha… Rassie, wahl bartman, a few 8th men who played on flank sometimes also like Piere spies, danie Rossouw, teichman, tiaan strauss, aj venter, joe van Niekerk,

[@zabaleta66]

Forgot Bartmann....big Gert Smal too.

[@derryckblack4283]

Funny it takes a Kiwi to put them in proper order. Toss-up between Ellis and Stofberg. Yes, how can any ranking have omitted Francois Pienaar?

[@Matt-sh2zv]

Cannot agree more. My family comes from Namibia, mom was also born in gobabis. In our house, when I was still a wee lad, Jan Ellis was god

[@TipOfAfrica0010]

As a Sharks supporter I always liked "die twee manne van die Vrystaat..Andre Venter en Juan Smit" Don't know why I had to say that in Afrikaans 🤣🤣..also loved watching my other favourite Heinrich Brussouw, damn injury sure wrecked his career

[@alfredkillian3656]

Desmond Staals Brussow at his best was most impressive, fortunately, he had injuries, I don't rate Schalk Burger in the top 10.

[@gm.Observer]

What injury did Heinrich have? Is he not also from Grey Kollege in Bfn?

[@the_katman2181]

I'd forgotten how quick Rob Louw was. What a player.

[@waltonsadlier445]

Cool vid! Theuns Stofberg was always good to watch and I rate him highly. We didn't see the best of him in '81 due to injury. It was very difficult as a high school boy watching the first tour match at home in Gisborne NZ, as we had protestors trying to climb and pull down the fence that separated as from Rugby park and the golf course. Many family members on either side of the fence, very surreal!! So after the first match police security was scaled up big time. Still managed to cancel the Waikato match though! I also find Martin Pelser an amazing player from accounts of players who were there, especially Colin Meads. He stated that he was the toughest player he ever encountered (That says a lot!). He mentioned I think it was in his biography by the late Alex Veysey, that he and Kel Tremain were wanting to get in first to sort out this joker on the '60 tour, however both were flattened by Pelser without him breaking a sweat or his stride! I wondered whether they wanted to take advantage of his 'blind side', obviously didn't work!! Would be nice to see some of the legendary Hennie Muller's terrorising heroics. I do realise he was a No.8 and I've seen your vid on that, be nice to find a full length doco if you have one. Read his autobiography "Tot Siens to Test Rugby" when I started high school, Amazing player!! Keep up the good work!

[@RealRugby]

You sure know your rugby Walter. Martin Pelser was an amazing player and for some reason quite underrated, even in South Africa. My dad told me about his heroics and I know the opposition rated him very high. I do have a short documentary about Hennie Muller. It was part of the Springbok Greats series, go and look for it. Cheers, and thanks for the support!

[@raheelx4700]

Nice to see Bok forwards with an eye for the try-line... Thanks..

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

Schalk in his day just a freak of nature, best flank to ever play rugby. Had everything Legend. Francois Pienaar right up there.

[@brettwilkinson9529]

Just like the All Blacks, the Springboks have always had great talent with their loose forwards. Muller, Pelser, du Prezz , Ellis, Greyling, Stofberg, Lowe, Geldenhuys, Venter, Kruger, Burger, Du Toit .......The list is endless

[@roybean7166]

Here's something I heard a couple of yrs ago. What is the town of Gobabis, in Namibia, famous for ? It is the birthplace of Jan Ellis.

[@pauledwards5518]

Jan Ellis was born in Brakpan, South Africa...his family moved to Gobabis when he was young

[@roybean7166]

@@pauledwards5518 ok, Ellis was born in Brakpan? Did not know this. So Brakpan as famous as Gobabis ? By the way, if you speak to people in Gobabis, they have lots of good stories to tell about Jan Ellis.

[@gm.Observer]

and also Juanita du Plessis

[@mr.f.j.vandervyver9897]

Another brilliant flanker that should be a Springbok captain was Thys Lourens

[@dulajohnstone5704]

Thys was blue bull captaincy quality. Yes a remarkable player..but somehow didn't fit in the Springboks in his era

[@gm.Observer]

Agree, he was such a hard worker but they ignored him for some reason. Keep in mind, I am a Cheetah.

[@francoisdewaal9768]

I can comment that Martin Pelser was properly the hardest and best flanker that the springboks had. When Colin meads of the all blacks were asked who was the toughest opponent he ever played against he replied that it was Martin pelter

[@contrarian717]

That says a lot yes

[@1414rebel]

I was best man at his grand daughters wedding.

[@nasserkarriem1309]

Gert Smal had to be in the mix. The complete flanker

[@johnhanson5943]

Difficult one. Too many excellent ones from SA!

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

Schalk in his youth from another planet. Fifteen young Schalks ….. best rugby team ever

[@duncanidaho9492]

juan smith no 1 for me

[@the_katman2181]

He had the best hand-off in the business.

[@jaksdt]

No Rassie Erasmus? And 7 years later after this video was uploaded, you can add Pieter-Steph to the list.

[@mootheconqueror1965]

I'm surprised the tough and inspirational Francios Pienaar is not on this list.

[@RealRugby]

Pienaar was a fantastic captain, but I wouldn't call him a great player. I don't think he comes close to anyone on this list in terms of playing ability alone. But, its just our opinion :-)

[@Deontjie]

I am surprised that Dumb Blond Pienaar was selected for the Springboks. He favoured Johan Roux over Joost as scrum half. And he got the best eight man, Tiaan Strauss, kicked of. I think the only reason he got selected was because he was blowing someone. When Joost eventually made the team, he took the decision making away from stupid Pienaar. Imagine how great the 95 Boks could have been with Tiaan.

[@edwardmurray1755]

Is this a joke?

[@teebrinner5939]

Love the older commentary in Afrikaans

[@jksinorbit]

if you are looking for the archetype of Bok flanks it has to Andre Venter. Hard as nails and could do it all. if you are looking at skills and overall ability then it has to be Bobby Skinstad ( before the injury that ended his best years) It’s pretty damn difficult to separate anything between the rest because it’s the one area on the field we have never had a weak link. Kiwis churn out back line players but SA has a golden mold for Loose forwards.

[@Skyscraper2015]

I agree, think of players like Duane Vermeulen, Pieter Steph Du Toit, and Siya Kolisi.

[@williamwallace2278]

Andre Center bit of a beast in full flight

[@martinketteridge9337]

Ruben Kruger was exceptional but for me Theuns Stofberg's positional awareness makes him no. 1 on my list

[@africanspaces3179]

Hennie Muller. Windhond?

[@RealRugby]

He played no. 8 and he is our greatest no.8 ever. We did a similar video for no.8s and he topped the list

[@jgprv2524]

@@RealRugby Yes of course. Thanks. Inspirational stuff

[@oraclis4892]

Pretty much all Freestaters, except for only three

[@808Sumner]

I hope this was just 10 great Bok flankers, rather than the top 10.

[@RealRugby]

Why do you hope for that? This is my top 10, no one else's.

[@MariusLGerber]

Corne krige??

[@thegulagarchipelago5921]

This is a easy one!!! PSDT!!!

[@Martin-pb7ts]

Not sure how you count Jan Ellis when the first two tries he scored he was wearing the no. 12 jersey? No Rassie? I don't think Reuben Kruger was the best flanker SA has produced but he does belong in the top 10.

[@RealRugby]

Martin Coetzee That was Jan Ellis's tour number. He only ever played flank and in those days numbers weren't necessarily linked to positions. Also, these lists are always subjective, so I doubt anyone else would pick the same 10 players in the same order. I'm keen to know what your top 10 would look like? Thanks for watching!

[@brettwilkinson9529]

Jan Ellis was good enough to play in any position on the field. That's how good he was. But that was his tour number

[@adrienbredenkamp6144]

Do greatest springboks props ever

[@oldtighthead2459]

For me after the 2023 world cup ,its at nr 7 1 PSDT 2 Juan Smith 7 Andre Venter At 6 1 Ruben Kruger 2 Scalla 3 Brussow

[@albertvanlingen7590]

Juan Smith.....the end.

[@dewetrobertson1752]

1.Burger 2. Juan Smith 3 .Jan Ellis 4. Theuns Stofberg.5 Danie Rossouw 6.Andre Venter

[@vanessacoetzee8634]

Ruben Kruger? No way, Frik du Preez

[@lindagrootboom4332]

The late Morgan Cushe from the small town of Uitenhage, Eastern Cape was simply the BEST flanker SA has ever produced. At international level Pierre Spies Jr (SA), Bob Skinstad (SA), Rob Louw (SA), Salie Fredericks (SA), Ian Kirkpatric (New Zealand), Fergus Flattery (British Lions), easily come behind bhut Morgan , fondly known as " Kopjan." Even international rugby greats and critics said it openly. He ran much faster than the fastest international wingers, had a dazzling footwok and jinking runs, superior ball skills and devastating tackling. He shocked the international rugby world in the late 70s when he played for the SA Invitation Rugby XV alongside such great as Morne Du Plessis, Toto Tsotsobe, and many others. That team was the cream of SA rugby. Sadly, that top quality is now gone.

[@manusduminy9845]

Bull. I'm an old man now. Seen them all. Love them all. But Jan Ellis was just out of this world. As tough as Schalk and even more skillful than Skinstad.

[@willemkotze2611]

Wahl Bartmann?

[@gm.Observer]

Yep he should be in the list. He was a very hard worker and strong as an ox.

[@matthewgreyling1389]

It's a pritty That most of you people never saw Piet Greyling and Jan Ellis as a ombention the all blacks feared them. And there was no better flank then Martin Pelzer. He was the greatest. Only had one eye. And one of the all black greatest were ask if would he be better if he had two eyes. The answer was if he was blind he would have been better because he had such a great feeling for the game.

[@faniekitching8326]

Juan Smith in n klas v sy eie! Vir my beste no 7.

[@granvilleheights3411]

Schalk Bürger Tribute Video please

[@Deontjie]

How many knock-ons do you want to see?

[@grahammcgeachy9508]

No place for Frik Du Preez?

[@RealRugby]

Although he did play flank at times, he played more at lock

[@gm.Observer]

He played mostly at lock.

[@cliftonboyz1959]

No one from the 74 series...lol

[@allanmacbadger5692]

How the hell is there no Danie Roussow? And what about Pier Spies?

[@cheetahcheetah3756]

wondered about Pier. think its coz he was more 8th man. maybe danie yes. same as Rassie.

[@garthfairfield8357]

Pierre was at a photoshoot for gq magazine

[@nandoexpando]

Great list, Heinrich Brussouw hardly a great, more a superb talent that was too often overlooked. Pieter-Steph will no doubt be on this list soon and it's a sin to leave Corne Krige and Francois Louw off the list!!

[@RealRugby]

For positions where there are 2, like centres, locks etc, I picked 20 and for single positions like flyhalf, I picked only 5. Please note that these lists were compiled from from our Facebook page where could vote for the bestvin each position.

[@RealRugby]

For me its a sin to leave Brussouw out. For me he was better than Krige, but there is no wrong or right, just opinions :-)

[@MeanAzz_13]

6 Andre Venter 🇿🇦 7 Ruben Kruger 🇿🇦 8 Schalk Burger 🇿🇦 Vs 6 Michael Jones 🇳🇿 7 Richie 🇳🇿 8 Buck Shelford 🇳🇿

[@mfp4136]

Yeah but who’s on the bench? Peter Stef du toit 🇿🇦 (SA’s best ever in my opinion. Not sure why he didn’t make the list) Juan smit 🇿🇦 Jan Ellis 🇿🇦

[@MeanAzz_13]

@@mfp4136 yeah agree P.S Du Toit hell of a Beast! 6 Du Toit 7 Burger 8 Vermulen 20 Andre Venter to cover all 3 positions, would be wicked pack of Loosies.

[@MrSuperdave75]

Burger the worst. Opportunity and poor skills.

[@MeanAzz_13]

@@MrSuperdave75 who's your top loosie's

[@cliftonboyz1959]

Brussouw?

[@willieventer7379]

Thys Lourens?

[@RealRugby]

As a big Blue Bull he was undoubtedly a legend of the game, but we felt he didn't play enough games for the Boks to be considered

[@willieventer7379]

Probably true, but then again Heinrich Brussow is on the list and if you have to compare the different rugby eras 22 tests in the modern era is probably also not enough to warrant a top 10 spot. Never the less I enjoy your channel, keep up the good work.

[@RealRugby]

Thanks Willie! We appreciate the support!

[@tazwildcat7]

brussow #1 i am best ever, brussow made me double down to keep #1. of course no such thing as flank now all lazy sloths now just guard 10 yards entire game no running and get subbed. should call flankers now zonebacker or slothbacker. of course pinear burger i highly respect. ermaus i have never watched im sure he is one greatest flanks all time

[@garthfairfield8357]

Oh yeah scoring follow up tries is what really makes a flank great. Schalla would destroy everyone on this list when you talk first phase cover tackling and turnover against the run of play

[@nasserkarriem1309]

My 5 best number 6 flanker I've seen in SA rugby 1 Boland Coetzee 2 Burger6Geldenhuys 3 Wahl Bartmann 4 RASSIE Erasmus 5 Schalk Burger My best number 7s 1 Theuns Stofberg 2 Rob Louw 3 Gert Smal 4 Juan Smith 5 Peter Steph du Toit

[@gm.Observer]

There are so many great flankers it is hard to choose. Boland was a bastard and tough as nails. Actually he may have been tougher than most nails.

[@cobusprinsloo1631]

Schalk Burger tribute video please?

[@mootheconqueror1965]

He was awesome

[@Deontjie]

Ai, how many knock-ons will change your mind?

[@jerrybuirski2344]

Ruben Kruger also scored a perfect driving maul try in the RWC 95 final, if there had been a tellyref in those days it would have been awarded.

[@TheDruzza]

Yup that was a try all day!

[@mikewillemse3761]

tries do not reflect a loose forwards real work.... some great names there but dobt your criteria for the ranking, .. very difficult to rank old rogby to new and therefore I think it is unfair to a lot of good playerrs

[@nelsoncasquilho9654]

nope Reuben deserves it his win ratio when we played all blacks says it all.

[@charliejames9888]

I'm not a fan of head gear. Suggests you are a little worried about your ears and hair. not quite 100% tough

[@joseruiters5121]

Theuns Stofberg was far more greater thn Andre Venter

[@mariodraghoender415]

Jan Ellis a flank? Big mistake

[@RealRugby]

Yes, Jan Ellis was a flank. Played next to Piet Greyling. I don't see where the big mistake is...

[@ebintwine1865]

If you look at the modern game i would say that you do great players harm by this list, The name of Francois Pienaar , Tian Strauss, by taking just these two of the list you mixing piss and paraffin. How in Gods name can you compare some of these players with these two , only you will know.

[@MeanAzz_13]

@@RealRugby lol

[@huevosfritos7963]

Tt's ridiculous to compare players from such different eras....How can you compare an amateur from the 60's to a pro from now. RIDICULOUS.

[@RealRugby]

Ridiculous indeed, but still fun...

[@cheetahcheetah3756]

huevos. don't think its comparing, its more stating/showing best flankers. it could be 100yrs ago.