Bok bruiser's golden opportunity to stake claim
OPINION: As the old saying goes – one man’s loss is another man’s gain.
With Springbok lock Lood de Jager’s end-of-year tour up in flames, it’s the perfect opportunity for Ruan Nortjé to strengthen his credentials as a premium No.5 lock building towards the 2027 World Cup.
De Jager received a four-week ban following his permanent red card against France for making contact with the head of Les Bleus fullback Tomas Ramos.
*Read more: Bok star receives ban for red card against France
This leaves the Boks a little thin at specialist No.5 locks, with RG Snyman and Franco Mostert the only regulars in that position.
Snyman, however, has been utilised more as an impact player as of late, and Mostert has shifted between the tight five and the side of the scrum this season.
Pieter Steph du Toit is another alternative, as we have seen against the Wallabies in the second Test during the 2024 Rugby Championship down under, where he can make the shift to the position he started his Test career.
So, where does this scenario leave the Boks’ management?
Incoming: Ruan Nortje
The Bulls leader has grown in leaps and bounds since his Test debut in 2022 and became a key figure in the Bok set-up post the 2023 World Cup.
During the 2025 Rugby Championship, Nortje ended the season with 11 line-out takes, three steals, and 21 carries, of which he made 37 metres.
The 27-year-old has played a combined 64 minutes against Japan and France on this tour, but could be handed a bigger responsibility in the upcoming matches against Italy, Ireland and Wales to step up in his position.
Nortjé has all the attributes to become the Boks’ first-choice No.5 lock, and his opportunity to stake his claim has never been better.
Bearing in mind the importance of depth and leadership in the expanded 2027 World Cup, Nortje could also put his hand up as a future leader of the national team, having already taken on that responsibility at a franchise level.
It might just be three Tests, but sometimes that and even less is all it takes to impress the coach and management team to look at a player with a different view.
