Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed that veteran prop Frans Malherbe came close to retiring last year due to persistent back and neck issues, but was convinced by the Bok management team to continue playing.
Dave Wessels believes South Africa's schoolboy rugby system and player pathways put the country far ahead of the rest of the world.
Siya Kolisi is confident the next generation of Springboks will be ready to step up when needed, and says the back-to-back World Cup champions are "never satisfied" despite their recent success.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is a satisfied man after the team's opening alignment camp of the year, which concluded on Thursday evening alongside the SA Rugby Awards in Cape Town.
Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx capped off a fantastic season when he won the SA Rugby Men's Player of the Year Award, while Nadine Roos did the double by being named SA Rugby Women's Player of the Year for a second consecutive year.
New All Black coach Dave Rennie is relishing the chance to be tested against the best when his charges arrive in South Africa for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Tour in August.