Best Boks v Australia: Arendse Potent, Esterhuizen Makes Mark

Variety was the spice of life as the Springboks started the Rugby Championship with a 43-12 walloping of the Wallabies in Pretoria on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

It was pure domination by the world champions, who led 17-5 at halftime and upped the ante in the second to get their 2023 season off to a flyer in front of a sold-out crowd at Loftus Versfeld.

Our top three Springbok standouts were:

Kurt-Lee Arendse

The smallest man on the field made the biggest impact on the scoreboard as he stormed over for a well-taken hat-trick in an electrifying Man of the Match performance.

Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber know the value of a strike runner, regardless of size, and Arendse’s was exactly the type of scintillating showing that Springbok fans appreciate and called for in generations past when size was everything. 

The pint-sized predator was potent on a perfect Pretoria night, starting the bashing with a first-half brace and deservedly getting a third five-pointer after the break. 

While the first was a simple run-in, the second from a pre-planned lineout move was a showcase of exquisite timing on not just Arendse’s part, but that of Marco van Staden and Bongi Mbonambi as well, which collectively made it look easy. 

The 27-year-old displayed his extraordinary finishing ability to complete his hat-trick, beating two Wallabies in a phone booth to score a try he had no right to and take his tally to 10 in eight Tests.  

Andre Esterhuizen

As one of the second-stringers who got an opportunity on the night and the only other specialist inside centre in the squad, this was a big game for Esterhuizen to show his worth and what he produced was his best game in a Springbok jersey.

“Andre the Giant” was massive in every sense, forming part of the playmaking axis – with Manie Libbok and Willie le Roux – that gave the men in green and gold the variety with which they blew the Wallabies away. 

Yes, he used his size and strength to good effect, setting targets, making line breaks and brushing Quade Cooper – who had a mare – aside like a schoolboy on one occasion, but he also showed off the subtleties of his game, from offloads to accurate long balls (including a try assist) and deft grubbers. 

All in all, he made an unrivalled 17 carries for 56 metres and beat five defenders. He also did some donkey work, as highlighted by his strong counter-rucking near the hour mark.

Marco van Staden

Five years after making his Springbok debut, Van Staden finally earned his first Test start and made the most of it. A caged animal let loose, he immediately got stuck in, winning a breakdown penalty inside the opening two minutes.

“Eskom” brought enough energy to light up Loftus and his intensity was off the charts. As a result, he was involved in no less than four of South Africa’s six tries. 

His explosive entries into and determined leg driving after contact saw him make carries that were crucial in the build-up to Arendse’s first and third tries. 

He’d also timed his break off the maul perfectly to set the winger’s second in motion, while he was the man in possession when David Porecki illegally sacked the maul, copping a yellow card and conceding a penalty try. 

His 43 metres (from eight carries) were the most by a Springbok forward, while he beat five defenders. As it was for Esterhuizen, it was a vital game for Van Staden and the all-action 65-minute effort did his World Cup hopes the world of good.  

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.