When Opportunity Knocks: Springbok hero Charl Marais

At the start of 1998 Charl Marais was behind Naka Drotske in the Free State Cheetahs pecking order. Drotske himself was behind James Dalton in the Springbok hierarchy. Marais moved to Cape Town, made the Western Province and Stormers sides and approximately a year later made his Springbok debut against Italy. Many will say Charl was not supposed to be the guy who made it. He made his Springbok debut at the age of 28 – an age where some Boks had actually already retired. But through grit and determination, Marais not only made his dream come true but his grit, determination and powerful play made him a fixture of the Springbok team in 2000. Charl also famously featured in a magnificent win over the All Blacks in 2000 at Ellis Park. Here you can hear from Marais in his own words how he defied all the odds, fulfilled a boyhood dream of representing his country and played a key role in several important victories. This inspirational discussion is a must-watch Front Row Rugby episode so buckle up!