Klipdrift’s Same Same But Klippies #BokSearch campaign has brought together 23 remarkable Springbok lookalikes from across South Africa – and the search is still open

For one unforgettable moment, it looked as though South Africa had two Springbok squads.

Twenty-three men stood shoulder to shoulder for an official team photograph, sporting the unmistakable faces of some of the country’s biggest rugby stars.

There was just one catch – these weren’t the players taking to the field. They were ordinary South Africans whose remarkable resemblance to the Springboks earned them a place in Klipdrift’s Same Same But Klippies #BokSearch squad.

Klipdrift’s #BokSearch celebrates South African rugby culture

The campaign combines two South African favourites – the Bokke and a Klippies & Coke.

Since the real Springboks can’t enjoy a brandy during a match, Klipdrift set out to find a team that could: everyday South Africans who look like the nation’s rugby heroes and love a bit of Klippies.

The team photograph marks the culmination of months of entries from people across the country who spotted their own resemblance to a Springbok and entered the search.

One nomination at a time, South Africans helped build a playful matchday 23 that celebrates the personalities behind the country’s unique rugby culture.

Meet the Springbok lookalikes

The squad includes South Africans from every walk of life.

  • Antonio Munnik, a law enforcement officer from Belhar, was nominated for his resemblance to Grant Williams.

  • Zwelethu Maziya, a real estate agent from Durban, became known among friends for looking like Aphelele Fassi, who repeatedly encouraged him to enter the Bok Search scanner.

  • Anthony Smit, a construction worker from Paarl, regularly gets mistaken for Eben Etzebeth.

One of Anthony’s funniest encounters happened in a biltong shop, where a woman was so convinced he was the Springbok star that she fell off her chair when he walked in. After realising he wasn’t Eben, she somehow managed to fall off the chair again.

Reflecting on meeting the rest of the squad, Anthony said:

“Meeting the other doubles was amazing. It felt like being part of a provincial rugby team. Everyone was ready to play.”

More than just a resemblance

For many participants, the experience became about more than simply looking like a famous rugby player.

It was an opportunity to meet 22 other South Africans who share the same unlikely experience and to become part of something bigger than an individual nomination.

“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,” said 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 now includes Springbok Women and Sevens players

The campaign isn’t limited to the Springbok men’s squad.

Klipdrift has expanded the Same Same But Klippies scanner to include the Springbok Women and Springbok Sevensteams, giving even more South Africans the chance to discover which national rugby player they resemble.

How to enter Klipdrift’s #BokSearch

Although the starting 23 has been announced, the bench is still open.

South Africans aged 18 and older can enter #BokSearch until the end of September 2026 for the chance to:

  • Win a framed Springbok jersey.

  • Become an official Same Same But Klippies squad member.

The final whistle on Klipdrift’s #BokSearch is still some way off, and the search for South Africa’s next Springbok lookalike continues.