Rassie Erasmus admits concern as Springboks prop awaits doping hearing

Ntlabakanye has made three Test appearances for South Africa after making his Test debut against Italy in Gqeberha in 2025.

However, he was kicking his heels on the sidelines for about a month in last year's Rugby Championship after providing an "adverse analytical finding" during random testing.

The 26-year-old was not provisionally banned and has been free to play while he contests the finding.

He had originally been scheduled to face his hearing in December 2025, but Rapport revealed that the process was delayed due to the availability of expert witnesses and ongoing logistical challenges.

The chief executive of the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS), Khalid Galant, told Rapport last year that Ntlabakanye‘s matter has been moved to the last week of March, with both the athlete's representatives and SAIDS still securing expert opinions.

News of Ntlabakanye's positive drugs test came as a shock as he has been one of the most improved players in the Springboks camp.

The tighthead prop previously weighed around 160 kilograms but shed between 15 and 18 kilos thanks to intensive training sessions with Boks scrum coach Daan Human on his farm which is situated close to Bloemfontein.

Ntlabakanye was full of praise for Human's influence on his career, especially his fitness which has improved considerably.

"He really is not a big believer in talking stuff. It's really all about action," he said of Human last year when talking about the fitness sessions he had with the Boks' scrum guru.

"You know, you say you want to get better. How do you get better? It's by working. So that has improved for me. And especially in that aspect of the game.

"Because I always thought that's something that's probably missing from my game. And to have such a good coach that has worked with me. Now just to improve my game in that aspect of the game.

"He was very special for me. And he still is very special. I'm still learning to this day."

"I'm nervous for him because I know how he trained and tried and but then you know it's a separate thing that we don't have any involvement with," the Springboks head coach told reporters.

"But I think certainly as much as we can support him, we'll support him and and I hope the right story comes out with the right result."

Erasmus hailed Ntlabakanye's work ethic and said he does not believe the player deliberately used the banned substance.

"He worked incredibly hard and I enjoy him as a person. I don't think he intentionally did anything wrong," he added.

"In saying that, I'm not making any judgements about anything. I just hope he comes out on the right side of it."