When the Springboks ran out in Paris and produced a dominant 32-17 victory over France on Saturday night, the talking point was not only the red card to Lood de Jager but also the quiet emergence of André Esterhuizen as a key asset.
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Once strictly a centre, Esterhuizen now wears two positional hats – midfield maestro and back-row brawn. Behind the scenes, coach Rassie Erasmus had been moulding this “hybrid” experiment into a refined weapon. The result? When the pressure rose and numbers dropped, the Springboks had a blueprint and a player ready.
THE MAKING OF ANDRE THE HYBRID
Erasmus has long spoken of versatility being central to sustained success. As he explained after the French Test: “We had to get Andre on, who can play loose forward and centre depending if we have a scrum or a lineout.”
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment change. It was the culmination of months of planning and adaptation. As reports show, Erasmus told the media that the idea of a backline player covering forward duties – the reverse of the customary forward-cover-wing model – had been in motion for some time.
For Esterhuizen, the switch offered new opportunity. Earlier this year, he said: “I’m definitely willing to learn to slot into a bit of a hybrid role that can cover the forwards and backs … it will help the team.”
Against the Barbarians in June, he played loose-forward and caught the rugby world’s attention. That performance laid the foundation. He became part of a strategy that allows the Springboks to vary bench splits, thus giving them more forward punch without sacrificing backline flexibility.
But the French clash turned the hybrid experiment into a decisive advantage. With De Jager off, South Africa were down to 14 men for more than half the match yet still prevailed and Esterhuizen’s dual role made a real difference. His ability to drift between roles kept France guessing and allowed the Boks to adjust without panic.
And assistant coach Tony Brown summed it up perfectly post-match.
“Getting the red card and having Andre on the bench, I don’t know if we could have asked for a better impact player in that situation, who could go to the mauls, go to the scrums and then defend at inside centre when France had the ball,” he explained. “He’s getting better and better as we get through the Test match year.”
Hybrid roles aren’t just novelty, they become design advantages when the game reshapes mid-flow. In this instance, Esterhuizen popped up in the rolling maul that led to a crucial try and covered the midfield defence when the French tried to exploit space. His huge frame (circa 114 kg, 1.94 m) and speed gave flesh to the tactic.
This performance silenced critics who argued the World Cup win was flukey. It proved the Springboks have real depth, real innovation and men ready to step into unusual slots without flinching.
THIS BLUEPRINT PROVES SPRINGBOKS AT FOREFRONT OF RUGBY INNOVATION
The experiment is now a blueprint. Esterhuizen’s success opens the door for other nations to reconsider positional rigidity. As Brown noted during Monday’s media conference:
“What started out as a little bit of an experiment with Andre trying to get him to be able to play loose forward and inside centre has become a bit of a weapon for us,” Brown boasted. “It allows us to go 6-2 or 7-1 splits on the bench. The versatility that he provides is huge for us.”
The Springboks therefore aren’t just deploying a player; they are deploying a concept. A concept that says: lose a man, change structure, keep power. In today’s Test-rugby environment, that kind of flexibility distinguishes winners.
Heading toward future Tests – and ultimately the next World Cup – this specific hybrid role gives the Springboks adaptability that most teams can only envy. Esterhuizen may still refine aspects of playing among the forwards, but his trajectory is clear and this dual role now demands serious respect.
Indeed, what started as an experiment now stands as one of rugby’s more cunning tactical moves. His presence allowed the Springboks to navigate adversity and close out one of their biggest wins in recent memory. The experiment succeeded. The weapon is now forged.
