Rising loose-forward stars Paul de Villiers, pictured, and Cameron Hanekom take centre stage in Turin as the Boks look to preserve their trademark second-half intensity without their veteran breakdown maestro.

Image: Gerhard Duraan / BackpagePix

Kwagga Smith’s long-term knee injury has undoubtedly taken some of the sting out of the Springboks’ famed "Bomb Squad" this season.

Over the years, Smith has brought relentless energy, pace, and power to the Bok pack in the second half of matches. His ability to compete fiercely at the breakdown to steal or slow down opposition ball is the stuff of legend, while his Sevens background sees him cover every inch of turf as a support runner with exceptional awareness and anticipation.

Replacing a player of Smith’s singular tactical profile is no easy task for Rassie Erasmus, but the Springbok coaching staff have revealed their immediate solution by naming both Paul de Villiers and Cameron Hanekom on the bench for this weekend’s Test against Italy in Turin.

The closest player to Smith in the current Springbok setup is arguably De Villiers, whose stock rose with every passing Test in the home Nations Championship fixtures earlier this year.

De Villiers possesses the exact skill set required to replicate Smith’s late-game breakdown dominance. Operating with a low centre of gravity over the ball, his clamping strength at the jackal makes him an immediate threat to turn over possession or win crucial holding-on penalties when opposition stamina flags.

Defensively, his lateral work rate and tackle efficiency mirror the cover-tackling energy Smith has provided for years.

What makes the bench setup for the Italy clash particularly potent is how effectively De Villiers pairs with Hanekom off the pine.

By unleashing both loose forwards together in the second half, the Boks retain a perfectly balanced back-row dynamic. Where Hanekom brings raw punching power, explosive line-breaking ability, and heavy collisions in tight channels, De Villiers supplies the linking play, breakdown scavenging, and relentless defensive cover.

Together, a Hanekom and De Villiers second-half axis provides the ideal blend of muscle and mobility against the Azzurri, with big matches against France and Ireland yet to come.

Running out from the bench in Turin, De Villiers and Hanekom have all the tools to prove that the Springboks’ second-half firepower loses none of its destructive edge.