Top 15 Springbok Tries of 2023

The Springboks scored some memorable and majestic tries on the road to clinching a record fourth Rugby World Cup title, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld as he selects the 15 best five-pointers the men in green and gold scored in 2023.

South Africa mixed power with panache over 13 Tests and became just the second team to retain the Webb Ellis Cup with a nail-biting 12-11 win over arch-rivals the All Blacks in last Saturday’s dramatic decider in Saint-Denis.

There were speed bumps along the way and, come the global showpiece in France, Siya Kolisi and company had to take the dirt road to glory. It was rocky, a path littered with obstacles, but Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber’s men dug deep down the dicey home stretch to etch their names in history.

Without further ado, here are my top 15 Springbok tries of the season:

15. Second-row Steamroller

World Player of the Year nominee Eben Etzebeth was in beast mode against Argentina at Ellis Park, the highlight of his Man of the Match performance seeing him run straight over Santiago Carreras to score in the corner.

14. Mr Unstoppable

The significance of this try lands it on the list as Etzebeth showed great leg drive and determination to power over for the game-changing score in the epic World Cup quarter-final clash against hosts France.

13. Valhalla

Like the above entry, the importance of RG Snyman’s try earns it a spot on the list. Looking down and out in their World Cup semi-final against England, super-subs lifted the Boks with Deon Fourie charging like a bat out of hell to go close from where Viking-like Snyman forced his way over to get South Africa back in the game.

12. The Short And Long Of It

A dominant scrum provided the Boks with a perfect platform for this try in the epic encounter against Ireland with Damian de Allende’s perfectly timed and executed swivel ball enabling World Breakthrough Player of the Year nominee Manie Libbok to put Cheslin Kolbe in with a spiralling long pass.

11. Filthy Footwork

Damian Willemse used his wicked footwork to make something out of nothing and carve out this try for himself as the Boks routed Romania 76-0.

10. Finisher Of Note

Pocket rocketKurt-Lee Arendse displayed his extraordinary finishing ability to complete his hat-trick in the season-opening clash against Australia at Loftus Versfeld, beating two defenders in a phone booth to score a try he had no right to.

9. Perfect Timing

Exquisite timing on the part of all three men involved, Marco van Staden, Bongi Mbonambi and hat-trick hero Arendse, made it look easy as the Springboks outwitted the Wallabies with a pre-planned lineout.

8. Williams Spreads His Wings

Regular scrumhalf Grant Williams started his first Test on the wing in the runaway win over Romania in Bordeaux and scored his first try in the green and gold in the process, showing his speed and agility to convert a pre-planned move into five points.

7. Air Kolbe

Willie le Roux reminded why he was known as the “Assist King” in his prime with a magic bullet of a pass to Kolbe, who went full-on Superman as he soared over in the corner against the All Blacks in Auckland.

6. Hitting The Blind Spot

Mercurial Libbok left spectators in awe when he turned on the style and set up Arendse for a try with an audacious no-look crosskick in the Boks’ World Cup opener against Scotland.

5. Le Roux Caps Special Night

Le Roux celebrated his 90th appearance for the Boks with this fine five-pointer in which the men in green and gold turned defence into attack in a flash against Tonga.

4. Peppermint Crisp

Playing in their peppermint alternate jersey for the first time, an experimental side struck gold with a seamless move straight off the training pitch against the Pumas in Buenos Aires, Andre Esterhuizen’s swivel ball and Libbok’s pinpoint crosskick seeing Canan Moodie cash in.

3. Mapimpi Magic

Enterprise from Faf de Klerk inside his 22 and a deft pass by Le Roux unleashed Makazole Mapimpi, who beat Gabriel Pop one-on-one with a scintillating swerve and sped in for his second of three tries against Romania.

2. Kriel Comes To The Party

Jesse Kriel made an immediate impact off the bench against the Pumas, injecting punch and creativity into the attack to send Willemse into a gap with the fullback hitting Mapimpi for the try that changed the complexion of the game.

1. French Toast

Etzebeth created this tremendous counter-attacking try with a timely tackle on France captain Antoine Dupont. Two quick passes saw Kriel put it on the toe and Kolbe leave Damian Penaud in the dirt as he raced in.

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.