No lock has yet been invited to Kamp Daandraad, but Lood de Jager hopes that one day, one of the Springbok second-rowers might just get the nod to do so.
Boks assistant coach Daan Human’s Bloemfontein farm recently became famous – or perhaps infamous – for its gruelling scrum-conditioning boot camps, where he has forged South African props’ physical endurance and technical power. A handful of videos, released by Bok coach Rassie Erasmus, have revealed a formidable collection of torture-looking devices and regimental training, all for the sole purpose of making the green and gold scrum unstoppable.
It is perhaps for that reason that any accusation that the Boks are cheating or purposefully manipulating the set-piece illegally – as was the charge from New Zealanders last week before the third Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks at FNB Stadium – touched a nerve within the national setup.
De Jager could only chuckle at the notion of a lock travelling to the Free State to be put through their paces, but hopes – with tongue firmly in cheek – that perhaps one day, one of them will crack an invite.
"I haven't been there," De Jager said, while laughing to himself. "I don't think there's been a lock there, but you never know. He might decide to invite a few of us next year."
"Every guy has his own role," De Jager continued, with regards to the scrum.
"The props have the biggest battle to fight, you know? For us, it's just applying as much pressure as we can, scrumming as hard as you can. The prop needs to win his battle against the other prop, and I think our system is pretty simple.
"We want to scrum through the middle with all eight of us in every single scrum. I don't think that'll change."
"There's a bit more detail in line-outs, you know?" De Jager continued, shifting to the meat of his role at set-piece time.
"There's timing and a lot of moving parts. The scrum is also technical, but in a line-out you've got different formations and defence. I'd say you spend a little bit more time on line-outs, because there's more work that has to be done detail-wise.
"We do get enough scrum work in, but because line-outs have got differences on defence and on attack, and you've got different formations, different areas on the field, you go through a bit more detail, and you spend a bit more time on it."
De Jager started the third Test this past Saturday on the bench, to earn his 76th Test cap, as cover for Eben Etzebeth and Ruan Nortje. Having made his debut in 2014 against Wales, the senior member of the Bok squad has had to overcome some major setbacks in his international career.
He had a miserable period pre-World Cup 2023, first suffering a shoulder injury, followed by the diagnosis of a serious heart condition that sidelined him for the tournament. He tore his rotator cuff in 2024, which ruled him out for that entire season, and more recently had to undergo hip surgery. In-between that, he received a four-match sanction in 2025 for a dangerous tackle.
De Jager admitted that the psychological battle to get mentally fit was just as daunting as returning to optimal physical fitness.
"You tend to panic a little bit," De Jager said.
"When you get that feeling, it's definitely a very weird one, and something I don't wish on anybody. It made me actually really appreciate what you have when you're healthy.
"Just being able to run, not even playing rugby, just being – especially with the heart thing, I think it was four months that I couldn't do anything – just to be out in training with the boys and just running again, it really gives you appreciation for the small things.
"In a weird way, it was good for me. You take things for granted, like running, or being able to train and being able to be fit."
Although the injuries and pericarditis – the inflammation of the heart – were serious setbacks, De Jager never doubted he would bounce back physically. De Jager could have been a Bok centurion and double World Cup winner if not for those injuries.
Said De Jager: "Maybe with the heart one a little bit, because it's such an unknown thing.
"But not really with the other injuries. You go in for the op, they tell you, 'Listen, it's going to be this long, if you do your rehab well, you'll be fine.'
"So, there was never really any doubt that I'll be back on the field. With the pericarditis one, that's when you appreciate it so much when you actually get through it, and you get the chance just to run out and just to be outside and train with the boys.
"I'm actually enjoying my rugby a lot more. It puts things into perspective as well when you get a scare like that. At the end of the day, rugby is very important to us, but it is just a game."
Nonetheless, De Jager is looking forward towards a future that includes the 2027 World Cup in Australia, although he is yet undecided about what will follow after that. Currently plying his trade in Japan, his contract will expire at Panasonic Wild Knights next year. A return to South Africa is always a possibility, but making it to Australia is his first priority.
"I used to look at the old guys and I was like, 'Why is that guy 33, how is he still playing rugby, why?' And now I'm 33, and I'm like, 'Okay, now I understand why.'
"You still have that hunger, you still feel, you know, like you can do it, and you want to do it. But it surely has flown by. I can't believe it's been 11 years since the 2015 World Cup and it's just been a wild journey, but it's good."
"After next year," De Jager added, "I haven't really decided what I'm going to do. My mindset for now is to give it a full crack until the World Cup, and then see what happens from there. I'm really not sure yet what I'm going to do after next year."