John Smit weighs in on competitiveness of 2025 Rugby Championship

The Southern Hemisphere rugby union competition kicks off this Saturday, with the Boks hosting Australia at Ellis Park before Argentina face the All Blacks in Cordoba.

Smit, a two-time Tri-Nations-winning captain, believes hosting the Wallabies and visiting the Kiwis this year could prove more challenging than having it the other way around.

"So the Rugby Championship is always – a big part of the influence on the championship is who you face at home, so I think it's always easier when you're facing the All Blacks at home, and so this year we've got them away twice," said Smit.

"I think the good news is that the start of our Championship is at home against Australia, and again we've got an Australian team that's come off three really tough tests and have actually been really competitive.

"The margins were small, and actually it was a series they probably could have pulled off as well.

"And it doesn't matter who you play in that June test period, any team of the All Blacks, Australia or South Africa that plays against the [British & Irish] Lions comes into the Championship a little bit sharper than anyone else.

"Because they've had that battle hardness sort of drilled into them."

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With coach Rassie Erasmus building depth in his squad over the last 12-18 months, the 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning hooker believes the many tight-five options bodes well for the Springboks' future dominance.

"The tight five in general, it's always an amazing point of reference for South Africa – I mean, we thought about, when we go back, who was ever going to be the next Bakkies Botha? And now we've got an Eben, who's the highest test-capped Springbok in history," he noted.

"So this new crew has stepped up, they've obviously learnt and played and been in the same squad with a whole bunch of legends, and the difficult is, it's not about, 'Do you think they're good enough?' It's around who's actually going to take their chance.

"And you've seen the rotational system around the front row, and obviously Frans Malherbe is arguably the best tight-head we've ever had, and you see every guy who gets a chance in that No. 3 jersey takes every single second as if its the last of his life.

"So if you compare us to the rest of the world, in terms of front row stock, we are certainly privileged in terms of the kind of beef that we've got to pick from.

"Asenathi [Ntlabakanye] has been playing phenomenally well for the Lions for so long, and he's used every single opportunity he's played for South Africa really well – he's been phenomenal.

"So, I think I'll do what my Mom said, which is answer a question with a question – has anyone that's come in to replace a [Steven] Kitshoff or Frans Malherbe let South Africa down? The answer is no, they all step up."

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