Klipdrift’s Same Same But Klippies #BokSearch has found 23 everyday South Africans who bear an uncanny resemblance to some of the country’s biggest rugby stars. And the search isn’t over yet.
For a moment, you could be forgiven for thinking South Africa had quietly assembled a second Springbok squad. Twenty-three men. One official-looking team photograph. And faces that look remarkably familiar. Except none of them will be pulling on a Springbok jersey on matchday.
Instead, they are the 23 South Africans selected for Klipdrift’s Same Same But Klippies #BokSearch, a nationwide hunt for ordinary people who happen to look a lot like members of the Springbok squad.
Meet the Other Bok Squad
The idea behind #BokSearch is simple. Find South Africans who bear an uncanny resemblance to the country’s rugby stars and bring them together to form an alternative matchday 23. Over the past few months, South Africans have been nominating themselves and others, gradually building a full squad of Bok doubles.
The result is a line-up featuring people from different backgrounds, professions and parts of the country, united by one slightly unusual characteristic: they keep getting mistaken for Springboks. Among them is Antonio Munnik, a law enforcement officer from Belhar whose resemblance to Grant Williams earned him a spot in the squad.
Then there’s Durban real estate agent Zwelethu Maziya, whose friends reckon he looks so much like Aphelele Fassi that they repeatedly sent him the #BokSearch scanner and encouraged him to enter. For Paarl construction worker Anthony Smit, looking like Eben Etzebeth has resulted in some particularly memorable encounters.
Smit recalls walking into a biltong shop where a woman was apparently so convinced that the towering customer was Etzebeth that she fell off her chair. After recovering and realising that he wasn’t actually the Springbok lock, she somehow managed to fall off the chair again.
What Happens When 23 Springbok Lookalikes Meet?
The campaign eventually brought all 23 doubles together for a team photograph, transforming what started as individual nominations into a rather convincing second Bok squad. For Smit, meeting the other lookalikes made the whole thing feel surprisingly close to being part of a real rugby team. “Meeting the other doubles was amazing. It felt like being part of a provincial rugby team, everyone was ready to play,” he says.
The campaign taps into something familiar to anyone who has watched a Springbok Test in South Africa. Rugby here is rarely confined to what happens on the pitch. It spills into braais, pubs, group chats, living rooms and the inevitable pre-match debates.
“Rugby has a way of bringing South Africans together, whether it’s around a screen, at the stadium, at a braai or through the friendly debates that start long before kick-off,” says Donné Wolk, Marketing Head of Spirits. “With #BokSearch, we wanted to celebrate that connection in a way that felt distinctly South African. What began with people spotting remarkable resemblances became thousands of South Africans taking part and helping us build a second squad.”
The Search Has Expanded Beyond the Springbok Men
The 23-man squad might have been revealed, but Klipdrift isn’t limiting the search to the men’s national team. The campaign has expanded to include the Springbok Women and Springbok Sevens, with players from both squads added to the #BokSearch scanner. That means South Africans can continue hunting for lookalikes from across the wider Springbok family. And there are still places up for grabs.
Think You Look Like a Springbok?
Entries for #BokSearch remain open to South Africans aged 18 and older until the end of September 2026. Entrants stand a chance of winning a framed Springbok jersey or earning a place as an official Same Same But Klippies squad member. So while the starting 23 has been assembled, South Africa’s second Springbok squad might still have room for you.
Follow the search online or on Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube. #BokSearch #MustBeKlippies
