When RG Snyman starts talking about his love of Mongolian throat singing, it’s further proof that the giant known as The Viking is an unorthodox icon of South Africa’s legendary Bomb Squad.
He has an evocative nickname to go along with his striking looks, but the 29-year-old’s real name is a mystery to most people, especially outside his own country. The initials represent Rudolph Gerhardus. For opposing forwards, they represent a big problem.
The towering double World Cup winner has certainly made a name for himself in recent years, moving closer to the top of England’s field when they meet at Twickenham on Saturday. He has become a key figure at the heart of the Springboks’ fearsome pack, whether as a starter or coming off the bench with the rest of Rassie Erasmus’s heavyweight replacements.
He even has a ‘Bomb Squad’ tattoo on his right hip, and I’ll let my Mail Sport colleague Joe Marler explain his thoughts on that elsewhere in these pages.
He has also become a cult figure on social media, for his striking driving skills and his ability to laugh while fighting multiple opponents.
One particular confrontation with an entire group of Australians became a viral hit. “I think that was in 2018,” Snyman tells Mail Sport. “I thought it was really funny because all their guys were around me, but obviously nothing’s going to happen, it’s just a bit of a tug of war.” “So I just laughed at it.”
An icon of South Africa’s legendary Bomb Squad, RG Snyman, has been called up to face England.
The towering double world champion has certainly made a name for himself in recent years.
Of a showdown with a full group of Australians in 2018, Snyman (second left) said: “I found it very funny.”
He laughs a lot while doing his punishment work. Having joined Leinster from arch-rivals Munster in the summer, he has come under the spotlight for his outrageous one-handed lineout grabs and try celebrations borrowed from American football. In Dublin, he has quickly become a fan favourite.
Having grown up in Pretoria and dabbled in water polo and cricket before focusing fully on rugby, Snyman decided to accept an offer from the Honda Heat in Japan. It turned out to be a culture shock for him and also for the locals who were overshadowed by him.
“At first I had no idea what I was getting into,” he says. ‘If I look back now, I think, “What was I doing?” I had no idea where I was going. I didn’t know anyone there. I didn’t know the coaches. I think I was 21 or 22 at the time, so I thought, “Let’s go over there and see what happens.”
“I ended up loving that first season. I played in the Second Division and it was a lot of fun. It was just what I needed at that stage in my career because if you made a mistake, you moved on and there would be another chance. I had a great time in Japan.
‘It was something interesting. The club I played for is based in Suzuka, which is a small Japanese city. F1 is there once a year, which is the only thing that happens there, and the Honda factory is based there.
“When I got there, they sat me down and said, ‘Listen, people are going to be afraid of you. Keep this in mind when walking through the shops and train station. You have to be careful.’ That was a first for me.”
Images and clips began to circulate of Snyman in the Far East, looking like a sporting Gulliver in Lilliput. He loomed over his teammates, his opponents and the crowd. It seemed like he was a different species than everyone around him.
He joined Leinster from arch-rivals Munster in the summer and has been in the spotlight ever since.
Snyman explains that he “had no idea what I was getting into” while playing for the Honda Heat in Japan.
He was initially told that people would be afraid of him when he moved because of his size.
When asked if he remembers any episodes in which he caused panic, he says: “It was a funny thing once in a supermarket, while I was walking down an aisle.” The shelves are much lower than I was used to, so I could see over the shelves.
‘When I entered the hallway, this guy walked to the other end of the hallway, just looked right at me, turned around and walked back. He seemed fearful. I could see him walking down the next hallway, so he just didn’t want to approach me or get close to me. That was funny!’
The time in Japan proved helpful to Snyman’s development, as he found he had to adapt his unbridled, unencumbered game to fit the needs of that team and league. He then went to Munster in the middle of the Covid pandemic and went through a period of bad luck that disrupted his career.
A serious knee injury on his debut for the province took a long time to overcome, with setbacks along the way, and shortly after his eventual return, he tore the same anterior cruciate ligament again, which kept him out of the game for 17 months. further.
As if all that wasn’t enough, he endured another forced absence from the game after being severely burned in a bonfire accident. There are still scars from that unfortunate incident.
When asked about it, Snyman says, “Someone tried to pour gasoline on the fire and I ended up in a real mess.” I ended up getting burned. It happened in Limerick. I burned my leg and hand.
“I was still injured and just getting back into training, so when that happened it wasn’t the best time.” He kept me out of it a little longer. I had to have a skin graft.’
That meant he missed the series win over the Lions in 2021, but Snyman returned to duty with the Boks in time to be part of their second successive World Cup triumph late last year.
Snyman has had terrible luck with injuries and has faced long periods on the sidelines.
He has fond memories of the team’s camaraderie and how their families helped out at the World Cup.
He has fond memories of the camaraderie on the team and the presence of their families with them during that tournament in France. And he was stunned by the reception when they returned to Johannesburg with the Webb Ellis Cup.
“One thing I’ll never forget is when we got back to the airport,” he says. ‘In 2019, we split up a bit on our flights, so I didn’t really experience that first amazing moment when you walk into the airport and everyone is there. So in 2023 when we came back it absolutely blew me away. I couldn’t believe it.
‘It feels like you enter this completely different energy, surrounded by people who have accumulated all these feelings and emotions and released them into one building. It was absolutely incredible.
‘You think you have an idea of what it will be like, but when you see it and experience it, it blows your mind.
“You get the feeling of, ‘This is why we do what we do. This is the impact it can have. Look what it means to all these people back home. ‘It’s special.’
Even in such a large crowd, Snyman will always stand out. He is easily recognizable, as a formidable figure with a mohawk and a long beard.
So he cuts his own hair? “I go to the hairdresser from time to time, but my wife also helps me,” he says. And will the beard be allowed to grow and grow? “I leave it like that until Saskia (his wife) complains that it’s getting too long, then I trim it down a bit.”
The Viking nickname was apparently coined by the South African media, but he inspired it with his choice of body art on one arm. “I think I got the tattoo first and then the nickname came about,” he said. “I’ve always been fascinated by Viking history.”
Accustomed to being in front of the camera, Snyman also practices photography as a hobby.
England could try to target Snyman at Twickenham but, if they do, they will be laughed at
That’s not the only fascination. When asked about his musical preferences, Snyman said, “I listen to everything, but Mongolian throat singing is definitely something that gets the kids going.”
It seemed like a conclusion, but apparently not. “Go and listen to the Hu band,” he added. ‘Listen to one of your songs.’
He’s gotten used to being in front of a camera, but Snyman likes holding one, too. “I enjoy taking photographs,” he said. ‘I like photography and I’m also trying to learn a bit about videography. That interests me. I try to take photos if we are on tour. If we are playing golf, I take photos. If we go on safari, I take photos. Anything and everything at this stage.
No doubt there will be plenty of photos taken of Snyman on Saturday. He will be starting alongside Eben Etzebeth in the Springboks second row, ready to wreak havoc at Twickenham, with his dazzling offloads, lineout prowess and matchup advantage.
If England tries to target him, the Viking will likely laugh. And on another great occasion, the giant will continue to make a name for itself.