VIDEO: Wanted by Zimbabwe, but Bok dream entices Lions lock Landsberg

VIDEO: Lions lock Darrien-Lane Landsberg has made it clear that his ultimate dream remains wearing the green and gold of the Springboks, even with the Zimbabwe Sables knocking on his door ahead of the World Cup in Australia next year.

Zimbabwe qualified for the World Cup after defeating Namibia 30-28 in the Final of the Rugby Africa Cup in July 2025 in Kampala, Uganda.

This historic victory marks Zimbabwe’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 1991, ending a 36-year absence from the sport’s flagship event. The Sables produced a composed and determined performance to overcome Namibia, a side that had qualified for the last seven World Cups.

With this result, Zimbabwe becomes the second African nation at the World Cup in 2027, joining reigning world champions South Africa.

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in Johannesburg, Landsberg developed his game through the Lions’ youth academy, attending Northcliff High School and representing the organisation at various junior levels before breaking into professional rugby.

His career began with the Pumas from 2020 to 2022, where he gained experience in domestic competitions and won the Currie Cup in 2022, before joining the Lions senior squad in 2022.

The 27-year-old featured prominently in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons.

Despite his Zimbabwean heritage, Landsberg is eligible for South Africa through residency and has expressed ambitions for a Springbok call-up.

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He was approached by the Zimbabwe national team in 2024, but declined to pursue his Springbok ambition. That dream is still very much alive.

The Lions lock admitted he has been approached by Zimbabwe once again. However, says he is not yet ready to give up on his Springbok ambitions while the possibility still exists.

“To be completely honest, until Rassie [Erasmus] tells me that the door is completely closed, I can’t allow myself to believe that it is,” Landsberg said.

He believes his eligibility and experience within the South African rugby system give him every right to continue chasing the highest level.

“I’ve played with these guys in the South African system since high school, so it’s not like I’m far off,” he explained. “When I look at myself in the mirror every day, I know that I can be a Springbok and I will be a Springbok.”

Landsberg stressed that turning down Zimbabwe at this stage is not about disrespecting his country of birth, but rather about pursuing what he believes is the pinnacle of world rugby.

“Because of what South African rugby means, I want to give myself the opportunity of saying I believe I’m the best, so why not try to be with the best?” he said.

However, he admitted the situation could change if he is eventually told there is no future for him in the Springbok setup.

“If that point comes where Rassie tells me the door is closed, then by all means it would be an honour to represent Zimbabwe,” Landsberg added.

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For now, though, his focus remains firmly on improving his game and forcing his way into the Springbok conversation.

“I’m pushing myself every single day. I’m trying to be the best possible No. 5, not only at my club but in the world,” he said. “I really believe I’ve got what it takes to be in the Springbok mix.”

The Lions have won their last six home games, but their overseas form remains a concern after four defeats and two draws away from Johannesburg.

With that in mind, few would back them to beat a full-strength Leinster side in Dublin on Saturday. However, Leinster’s focus on the Champions Cup could open the door for an upset.

Ivan van Rooyen’s side has played an entertaining but effective brand of rugby this season and is on the verge of qualifying for the United Rugby Championship playoffs for the first time. A strong finish to the tour against Leinster and Munster could even secure a home quarterfinal.

For Landsberg, though, the Lions’ rise is about far more than results, and he admitted that few expected the Lions to become genuine contenders this season.

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“No one really expected this to take place,” he said.

“But as players – and most importantly as men – we want to show that whatever people thought wasn’t possible, actually is possible.”

Facing a side like Leinster, he added, has only strengthened the squad’s belief.

“Running onto the field against a team like Leinster lifts your level because you’re testing yourself against the best,” he added.

He also referenced comments made by Franco Smith after the Lions beat Glasgow Warriors earlier this season.

“Franco said we might not have a lot of internationals, but we’ve got international-calibre players. That meant a lot to the group,” Landsberg explained.

How did the Lions turn a few dismal years into becoming real contenders? According to the lock, it has been the squad’s mentality.

“In the past, we needed proof during the game before believing we could win,” he said. “Now the guys genuinely believe that whoever turns up against us, we can compete with them.”

“At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many Test matches you’ve played. It comes down to hunger and who wants it more.”

Landsberg stressed that the Lions’ resurgence has been driven by collective accountability rather than individual ambition.

“It’s not coming from a selfish perspective,” he said.

“It’s about doing this for each other. You can only lose so much before something has to change.”

He expects another major challenge this weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough, physical game and definitely not a clean or easy one,” he said. “You need to prepare yourself for that cage-fight mentality.”

Still, he believes the Lions’ improved composure has become one of their biggest strengths.

“Against the Dragons we lost the lead, but showed the maturity to regain control,” he said. “That’s shown a lot of growth in how we manage games now.”