Legendary Springboks winger Bryan Habana has hailed the world champions\u2019 current crop of speedsters and reserved special praise for Cheslin Kolbe.<\/b><\/p>\n
Habana is regarded as one of the best ever wingers to play the game and holds the Springboks try-scoring record, having scored 67 tries in 124 Tests between 2004 and 2016.<\/p>\n
That is the second most tries scored by an individual in Test history with only Japan flyer Daisuke Ohata, who crossed the whitewash on 69 occasions, having scored more.<\/p>\n
Habana<\/a> is also the Rugby Championship\u2019s leading try-scorer (21) and along with All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu, he holds the record for most Rugby World Cup tries (15).<\/p>\n Full of praise for current Springboks wingers<\/p>\n Despite his impressive try-scoring record at international level, the 42-year-old was full of praise for the Springboks<\/a>\u2018 current crop of wingers with the likes of Kolbe<\/a> and\u00a0Kurt-Lee Arendse leading the way as the world champions\u2019 first choice flyers.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, rookie wingers like Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe also caught the eye in 2025 while the experienced Makazole Mapimpi and the versatile Canan Moodie have also impressed when getting opportunities in the starting line-up during the year.<\/p>\n And while Habana is happy with the overall performances of the Boks\u2019 speedsters, he hailed Kolbe who has redefined the standard for wingers throughout the world.<\/p>\n Springboks: Bryan Habana gives ultimate compliment to Rassie Erasmus\u2019 \u2018phenomenal\u2019 team<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cCheslin is just box office, one of the best the game, not just South Africa, has ever seen. From the likes of him, he is sitting on 49 Test matches and has been unbelievable,\u201d he told News24<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cBut then there\u2019s Kurt-Lee Arendse, Hooker and Edwill that\u2019s really pushing the boundaries.<\/p>\n \u201cCanan Moodie can can go at centre and at wing, making his debut a couple of years ago, which gives South Africa a real strength\u2026 for Rassie (Erasmus) to have that luxury of world-class international wingers is just brilliant.<\/p>\n \u2018Extremely proud\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cI just sit here on the sidelines, extremely proud, to not only be a former player, but to now be a Springbok supporter in its full capacity, and just absolutely loving what we\u2019re seeing [from] our amazing wings at the minute.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, that ability for competition for players to be at an all-time high has brought out the best in all of the sport, not just in the wingers.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the box office, Cheslin has set the standard that few [have done] before him, and [those coming] after him will have to be able to measure up to an amazing player.<\/p>\n \u201cI am phenomenally excited about our stock in the wings, and long may that continue, because from the attacking play that we have seen, it makes for some very exciting viewing.\u201d<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n