Lood de Jager: It is good to be back with the Springboks

After nearly two years in the Test rugby wilderness due to various injuries, World Cup winner Lood de Jager is set to resume his Springbok rugby career imminently.

Included in the Bok squad for the mid-year matches against the Barbarians, Italy, and Georgia, De Jager is scheduled to play his first match in about 23 months as early as next Saturday against the Barbarians in Cape Town.

The 32-year-old lock has been training with the squad for the last two weeks in Johannesburg ahead of the match.

Despite missing the 2023 Rugby World Cup due to a heart condition and then picking up a shoulder injury that kept him out for nine months, the lineout guru is ready for the challenge ahead.

“It’s good to be back,” an elated De Jager said about being with the Boks.

“It was tough to be on the outside (while injured), but I had my family and kids to keep me occupied so that I didn’t overthink things.

“The biggest thing for me (while away) was that I felt I could still contribute to the team.

“It was just to get healthy and my body right. That was my biggest motivation: to get back here.

“The easy part (coming back) was being with good friends again, seeing the guys and training with them.

“It is great talking about old stories with them.

“There is a lot of depth at lock at the moment, and Ruan (Nortjé) stepped up nicely last season against the All Blacks with that injury crisis.

“Things are now very competitive for that lock position. We push each other, and it’s a great thing.”

De Jager believes that playing in Japan helped him keep his body fresh and get back to playing at a top level.

He pointed out that the season in the Japanese Top League, where he plays for the Saitama Wild Knights, is spaced out so that they have enough rest weekends.

In the same breath, he said the league has grown significantly and is very competitive.

With the Boks set to play 14 matches this year, De Jager was asked which one he is looking forward to taking part in.

His answer was short and sweet. “The next one,” the lock said with a laugh.

For someone who played for the Boks the last time they faced the All Blacks in 2023 at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, it is understandable.

However, he is happy to bide his time and fall into the plans of Bok guru Rassie Erasmus and his assistant coaches.

“Rassie has a great plan for the year and how it pans out. You want to be involved in every Test match, because it is big,” De Jager said.

“We have some big ones coming up, especially against New Zealand away and France and Ireland.

“But you can’t look past any game. We are playing the Barbarians, and they are putting together a world-class team.

“We don’t know what to expect. We are focusing on that right now and can’t look past it.

“I am not thinking too far ahead, and if I am involved against the Barbarians, I just want to give my best.”