Rassie Erasmus revealed that Springbok tighthead Frans Malherbe was close to retiring last year due to a serious back injury. The stalwart, however, attended the first Bok alignment camp of 2026 this week and forms part of the plans of Erasmus and his management ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
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Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus revealed this week that Springboks and Stormers stalwart Frans Malherbe was close to retiring last year due to ongoing struggles with a serious back injury.
However, he was persuaded by friends to reconsider and is now on the comeback trail, although a return-to-play date has not yet been set in stone. It has been more than a year since the double World Cup winner was sidelined with the injury that threatened his career.
But he is back in training with the Stormers, and this week attended the first Bok alignment camp with 48 other players in Cape Town — an indication that Erasmus and his assistant coaches are still keen to use the stalwart if and when he returns to the playing field.
Erasmus, who was crowned Coach of the Year at the SA Rugby Awards on Thursday, confirmed that they still want to make use of his services ahead of a tough 13-Test season. The Boks will begin their 2026 campaign with a match against the Barbarians on 20 June in Gqeberha.
The biggest clashes this year are the Nations Championship opener against England (4 July) and Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks. Three Tests will be played in South Africa, and the fourth in Baltimore, USA.
“I had a meeting with him last year, and he was close to retiring. Not because he couldn’t play anymore, but he was struggling with his back,” Erasmus revealed.
“I think it was frustrating for him. So, some of us gave him advice, saying that he can’t retire now and come back three years later and say, ‘I don’t want to be retired anymore’. A few guys did that; Os du Randt (former Bok prop) did it, but he wasn’t very effective (when he came back). He was a very good team man.
“We forget how good Frans really was for us only two years ago. He is 100% on his way back. We don’t want him to give up without having one more bite.”
Like Malherbe’s potential return, the Boks have also not forgotten their other stalwarts, despite players such as Willie le Roux, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Faf de Klerk and Trevor Nyakane not making the first camp of 2026.
Erasmus knows what he has in them as players. However, not all of them will have a perfect farewell. De Klerk and Nyakane have been out of the mix for a while, with younger players such as Lions scrumhalves Morné van den Berg and Haashim Pead, as well as young Stormers prop Zachary Porthen and Kai Pratt of the Sharks, getting the nod for the alignment camp.
“I know the hearts of those boys, and I know Faf can still do the things for you. Cobus (Reinach) came back at 35, and he was our second or third scrumhalf; now he is first or second, and his game has improved.
“We forget what Faf did for us against Ireland and that rip in the World Cup quarter-final against France. I can tell you what Bongs (Mbonambi) means to us when he is there. However, they also know that everything does not always end perfectly.
“They can still show us that they don’t want it to finish this way, and we need that.”