Planet Rugby's current top-10 full-back rankings put Damian Willemse at number one, ahead of Thomas Ramos and Will Jordan. The piece describes Willemse as being in the form of his life before his injury during the Greatest Rivalry series — dominant in the air, lethal in one-on-ones, and increasingly irreplaceable at 15 for both the Stormers and the Boks at 28. The more interesting Springbok subplot is Cheslin Kolbe at nine: the piece makes a genuine case that Kolbe's versatility and his sustained run at fullback for Tokyo Sungoliath warrant a more permanent conversation about deploying him at 15 for South Africa, not just as a wing-covering option.
AnalysisSpringboksPlanet Rugby
Willemse tops the world, Kolbe raises a selection question
Planet Rugby ranks Willemse the best fullback on the planet right now, with his pre-injury form for the Boks cited as the benchmark. The list also raises a pointed question about whether Kolbe — who has spent much of his recent club rugby at 15 — deserves a more serious look in that position for South Africa.
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