Overview
- Steven Kitshoff said the Springboks lack a clear successor to Siya Kolisi and named Bulls lock Ruan Nortje as his preferred future captain.
- He noted Jesse Kriel has handled stand-in duties well but stopped short of backing him to take over full time.
- Nortje brings franchise captaincy and 18 Test caps, though reports of a move to Japan could complicate his availability.
- Rassie Erasmus has tended to choose captains who play domestically, so an overseas switch may count against Nortje.
- Separate reports mapped on-field heirs at No. 6, highlighting Marco van Staden for the near term and Paul de Villiers longer term, with a wider post-2027 refresh expected as several veterans age out.