Springbok Hooker Watch: Spotlight on the Season's Stars and Strugglers.
What makes a Springbok Hooker?
Having already written a piece on “Who will be the next Springbok Hooker” back in November 2023, I have decided to do a more thorough investigation using this season’s statistics.
The upcoming stats throughout this article have been sourced from Oval Insights and include South African Hookers who have played a minimum of 200 minutes in the URC.
The Lineout:
Historically, the lineout has always been a strength of South African rugby, and the current coaching staff at the Springboks will continue to view it as a fundamentally important aspect of a hooker's game. The stats below depict the lineout throwing accuracy of four Springbok hookers over the past five years.
Malcolm Marx has consistently set the standard, showcasing an often underappreciated aspect of his game by consistently throwing at a high standard. While Bongi Mbonambi might be disappointed with his accuracy in 2023, he has generally proven to be a reliable operator at lineout time for the Boks. Deon Fourie was utilised at hooker in 2023, and his slightly better success rate compared to Joseph Dweba, along with a similar breakdown presence to the then-injured Marx, highlights why he was backed.
International rugby operates at a different level compared to the club game, and not all players transition seamlessly between the two. The URC statistics below reveal that Dweba has actually achieved a higher lineout success rate than Mbonambi so far this season.
It's crucial to remember that these numbers may not be as directly comparable as those at the Springbok level. Firstly, each team features different lineout jumpers and coaches with varying degrees of quality, making it challenging to make fair comparisons. Secondly, the context of the lost lineout is vital. A hooker who has thrown several 'not straight' throws could have the same accuracy rate as someone who has thrown none, due to factors such as handling errors or miscommunications.
There are several interesting findings in the URC lineout numbers for this season. One notable observation is Johan Grobbelaar's drop in accuracy. Just last season, Grobbelaar boasted a lineout accuracy of 158/167 (95%), but this season, his accuracy has dipped to 81%. In contrast, Andre-Hugo Venter improved his accuracy from 77% last season to 89% this season. Given that Venter is only 22 years old, this improvement isn't surprising as he continues to acclimatize to professional rugby.
General-play Stats:
The above stats provide a colour-coded depiction of players' strengths and weaknesses. It's important to note that team tactics and individual roles can influence these numbers, but they offer valuable insights into player performance across the pitch. At its simplest interpretation, more greens indicate better performance.
Andre-Hugo Venter:
Andre-Hugo Venter continues to demonstrate significant development as a player. He boasts the highest percentage of dominant carries among all hookers in the URC, standing at an impressive 55%. Additionally, his outstanding contact metres per 80 of 12.60 position him better than 92% of his competitors. Venter also excels his tackling numbers, ranking in the 71st and 63rd percentiles for each metric.
Despite not recording any turnovers this season, it's worth noting that this is partly attributable the hookers role in the Stormers defence, which differs significantly from how the Springboks utilise a player like Malcolm Marx. Overall, Venter appears to be a genuine prospect for the Springbok team.
Bongi Mbonambi:
It comes as no surprise that Bongi Mbonambi's top two stats revolve around being 'dominant'. He epitomises physicality and thrives on the battle. Mbonambi is an exceptional scrummager and a key figure for the Springboks in terms of leadership and motivation. However, some of his work-rate related statistics, such as his ruck entries and total tackles, are surprising low.
While it's important to consider the 'eye test' alongside statistics, even a comparison of his tackling stats from the Rugby World Cup reveals a tackle success rate of only 79%, the lowest among Springbok forwards. Suggesting that his tackling accuracy of 82% this season is not uncommon. This is likely overlooked due to the dominance of the tackles he does make.
Despite rightfully holding the position of 'top dog' and bringing raw aggression and gain-line dominance to his game, the stats suggest there is still room for improvement, even at 33 years old.
Dylan Richardson:
Dylan Richardson's stats suggest he may offer a contrasting style to Mbonambi's at the Sharks. He boasts a URC high for Tackle Success (100%) and Contact Metres (26.89 per 80), and is second only to Andre-Hugo Venter for '% of carries dominant'. Richardson also demonstrates a high work-rate, attending 33.36 rucks per 80 and making 15.66 tackles per 80.
None of this comes as too surprising, given his experience playing flanker over the past three years. However, it's worth noting that he ranks in the top half of URC hookers for lineout throwing accuracy, indicating his proficiency in this aspect of play. While his scrummaging ability remains to be fully assessed, Richardson's versatility and skill set make him a promising prospect.
It's noteworthy that Richardson has represented Scotland once, on the 20th of November 2021, rendering him eligible for Springbok selection again from 20 November 2024.
Johan Grobbelaar:
Despite experiencing a drop from his usual lofty standards in the lineout, Grobbelaar has had a strong season in general play. He boasts a well-rounded game, ranking in the top percentiles for most metrics aside from lineout accuracy.
A standout aspect of his performance is at the breakdown, where he ranks in the 97th percentile (or top 3%) of hookers in the URC, winning an impressive 1.18 breakdown turnovers per 80. While there were once questions raised about his size, he appears to have bulked up over the last off-season. He remains a genuine prospect, especially if he can return to last season’s 95% lineout accuracy.
Joseph Dweba:
Joseph Dweba leads the stats for percentage of low tackles with 71% (refer to the color-coded table). He shares this characteristic with Mbonambi, as both players being as wide as they are tall. The similarities continue with Dweba also excelling in dominant tackles, averaging 1.09 per 80.
Furthermore, Dweba is highly praised for his scrummaging ability, mirroring Mbonambi in this regard. However, unlike Mbonambi, he has yet to fully demonstrate his potential in a Springbok jersey and has struggled at the lineout on more than one occasion. At 28 years old, he will need to address these shortcomings soon or risk being surpassed by the younger generation.
Age Profiles:
By the time the 2027 Rugby World Cup rolls around, Bongi Mbonambi will be 36 years old, having had a long and brutally physical career. Despite his reputation for reliability, relying solely on a player of his age profile may not be ideal. While he may still perform at a high level in 2027, contingency plans should be in place in case his body does not hold up.
On the other hand, Malcolm Marx is likely to still be in peak condition come 2027. Therefore, in my opinion, the Springboks should aim to introduce three new capped hookers to the squad over the next three years. While the specific individuals remain to be seen, recent participation in the Springbok alignment camp by Andre-Hugo Venter, Johan Grobbelaar, and Marnus van der Merwe suggests they could be contenders. Additionally, it remains to be seen if Dylan Richardson will be considered once he becomes eligible for selection again.