2025’s Unsung Boks #5: Kwagga Smith
by KickOff Rugby · KickOffIn this series of articles, KickOff reviews the rugby year that was, this time identifying the Springboks who made significant contributions to the season while still flying somewhat under the radar.
Kwagga Smith
Test Caps: 12 (1 start, 11 as replacement)
With the amount of rotation that Rassie Erasmus employs in his selection, it feels crazy to call an almost ever-present player an unsung hero, but that’s the case with Kwagga Smith, who does the majority of his work off the bench at the business end of matches.
Smith only missed one Test against Italy and was unavailable for the final match against Wales in a season where again his quiet and unassuming shift was vital for this Bok team.
Read more | 2025’s Best Springbok Tests
Kwagga’s solitary start of the season came in Cape Town against Australia as the Bok coaching staff rejigged their team significantly, looking for a reaction to the Ellis Park loss the week before, but for the rest of the season, he was performing his customary role as a key member of the Bomb Squad.
The versatile Shizuoka Blue Revs utility player’s ability to play across the loose forwards and fill in as a backline player if required makes him a vital cog in the team. In fact, even with the emergence of Andre Esterhuizen as a hybrid forward, it was not at the expense of Smith, who remained a key figure in the matchday 23s.
Kwagga nabbed two tries across the season, and at only 32-years-old with 63 Test caps to his name, he will be a key figure in the Bok roadmap as they aim at the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.
Read More | KickOff’s Best Boks of 2025
Read More | KickOff’s Breakthrough Boks of 2025
Come back tomorrow when we'll be counting down to number one on our list with the next selection.