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Cheslin Kolbe and Rugby’s Greatest Ever Steppers

Cheslin Kolbe and Rugby’s Greatest Ever Steppers

Some rugby players just have that special something about them. Whether it be a powerhouse prop, a tactical genius in a ten jersey or a centre who knows his angles better than your average geometry professor.

Image Copyright – Steve Haag Sports


While all of the aforementioned players make rugby great, there’s no better sight than a winger or a fullback stepping their way through a defence – just think of Cheslin Kolbe Owen Farrell back to Merseyside in the World Cup Final!

So, in tribute to the fleet-footed menaces, we bring you rugby’s greatest ever steppers.

Cheslin Kolbe
Code: Union
Current Teams Toulouse / South Africa

The undisputed king of the sidestep. Kolbe has been leaving defenders for dust ever since he first donned a Western Province jersey back in 2012 at the tender age of 19.

Kolbe started his playing career as a fullback and was devastating with that much grass in front of them. A transition to the wing seems to have brought the best out of the 26-year-old who has starred for the Boks since being called up by Rassie Erasmus in 2018.

The Kraaifontein-born Bok is able to move in any direction and is as comfortable stepping off his right as he is off his left. He’s got a mean little skip step – a hybrid goose step – that he’s turned into his signature move.

Quade Cooper
Code: Union
Team: Kintetsu Liners

While this piece is packed with back three members, former Queensland Reds star Quade Cooper breaks the trend with his insane happy feet.

Cooper burst onto the scene with the Reds at only 18-years of age. He would go onto light up Super Rugby for a decade and led the Reds to their one and only Super Rugby title back in 2011.
Now here’s the thing about Coopers side-stepping, unlike wingers and fullbacks Cooper wasn’t always looking to beat a player with a step but rather to put himself into a better position to throw a pass or put one of his support players in a better position by sucking in a player or two.

It was rather sad that the Wallaby did his ACL while back in 2011 as it really affected his ability to throw down an unstoppable step.

Benji Marshall
Code: Rugby League
Current Teams: West Tigers / New Zealand

We had a look at the Union boys now it’s time to take a look at what Rugby League has to offer.
When you’re talking about Rugby League flair players, Benji Marshall undoubtedly tops that list. The Quade Cooper of League, Marshall has a bag full of tricks. One of the main weapons in that bag is his lethal sidestep.

Marshall actually had an unsuccessful go at Union with the Blues back in 2014. He returned to League after that short jaunt and has been unstoppable ever since.

Jason Robinson
Code: Union/League
Teams: Retired England League & Union / Hunslet & Wigan (League) / Bath & Sale Sharks (Union)

The original hot stepper. Jason Robinson was cutting shapes on a rugby field before the likes of Cheslin Kolbe and Nehe Milner Skudder were born.

Robinson was a ridiculously gifted rugby player who had very successful careers in both Union and League representing the peak of European rugby in both codes; The British and Irish Lions in Union and Great Britain in League.

The most memorable steps from Robinson come in an English jersey when he was playing at fullback. This video spans most of his career though as shows how devastating he was throughout the entirety of it.

Nehe Milner-Skudder
Code: Union
Current Teams: Toulon / New Zealand

Milner-Skudder has had a very odd career. He burst on the scene with the Hurricanes back in 2015 and was immediately included in the All Blacks side that went on to win the 2015 World Cup.
The Toulon man went onto shine for his country at the global showpiece being named as one of the players of the tournament by numerous pundits.

Unfortunately, a shoulder injury at the start of 2016 started a string of long term injuries that killed his moment and saw him fall down the pecking order for both the national side and the Hurricanes. He eventually left New Zealand to ply his trade with Toulon in France. He’s yet to turn out for the French side, however, as he was nursing yet another shoulder injury before COVID-19 put all rugby on ice.

Damien Willemse
Code: Union
Teams: Western Province / Stormers / South Africa

The heir apparent to Cheslin Kolbe’s “King of the Steppers” crown, Damien Willemse has a set of dancing feet that Michael Jackson would envy.

Like Cooper, Willemse is a fly-half by trade, although a lot of pundits and fans reckon he’s better at fullback. I’m not part of the aforementioned tribe, though as I reckon Willemse is going to be a hell of a pivot.

Willemse came to the South African rugby scene when he was still at school, with a number of videos of him leaving his age-grade opponents arse down on the ground doing the rounds back in 2016. Since then he’s been leaving senior rugby players flat on their backsides too.

Keep an eye out on our blog as we bring you more of these pieces while we wait for the return of Cheslin Kolbe’s magic feet and the thrill of rugby betting to return.

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