Willie le Roux discusses the moment he decided to reignite his Test career, as the two-time World Cup winner closes in on becoming the eighth Springbok centurion in 2025.

With 98 Test caps, veteran fullback Le Roux is within touching distance of a Bok century, and his versatility and experience still makes him an attractive option for Rassie Erasmus, particularly in a national squad that values adaptability and IP. 

With Aphelele Fassi having started eight of the Boks’ 13 Tests last year in the No 15 jersey, the 35-year-old Le Roux has had to bide his time to get to the magic milestone.

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Erasmus has previously hinted that Le Roux would get to achieve the feat in South Africa this season, as Eben Etzebeth did when he became the most-capped Springbok at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit last September.

The world champions kick off their season against the Barbarians in Cape Town on Saturday, before clashes versus Italy (9 and 12 July) and Georgia (19 July) on home soil.

Le Roux has not always been every SA rugby supporter’s cup of tea, and a disappointing European sojourn with the Boks nine years ago saw the mercurial playmaker join English club Wasps via the Canon Eagles in Japan and all but end his international career due to SA Rugby’s selection policy at the time.

Vilified for his every howler with the Boks and Sharks in 2016, Le Roux’s confidence took a knock but time away from the criticism of the SA media and public helped him rebuild his self-esteem, before an SA-France clash overseas reignited his hunger to don the green and gold jumper again. 

🗣️ “I was on 42 caps and I left for Wasps, I thought my career was done.”

Willie le Roux now has 98 Springbok caps to his name and the opportunity to join an exclusive list in 2025. pic.twitter.com/W6IVrTREv2

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) June 23, 2025

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images