Breyton Paulse reveals the scariest All Black he ever faced
Springbok legend Breyton Paulse joined Breakfast with Martin Bester ahead of the Springboks' massive clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
It doesn't get much bigger than the Springboks versus the All Blacks.
Ahead of the first Test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry at Ellis Park on Saturday, 22 August, Springbok legend Breyton Paulse joined Breakfast with Martin Bester to share some of his favourite memories of facing New Zealand.
Paulse, who played 64 Tests for the Springboks between 1999 and 2007, knows exactly what it feels like to line up against the All Blacks.
For him, playing New Zealand was one of the biggest occasions on the rugby calendar.
"When I became a Springbok, you look at the calendar and think, 'Okay, cool, when am I playing the All Blacks?'" he said.
"That's how big it is for any boy growing up. You want to face the haka, you want to play at Ellis Park with 60,000 crazy South African Bok supporters."
The scariest All Black Breyton Paulse faced
During his time in the green and gold, Paulse came up against some of the greatest players New Zealand rugby has produced.
When Philicity Reeken asked him which player was the most intimidating to see coming towards him, one name immediately came to mind.
"It was the late, great Jonah Lomu," Paulse said.
"I had to face him a few times and, funny enough, he never scored against the Springboks. He never, ever scored against the Springboks."
Paulse also recalled one particularly nerve-racking encounter when he and former Springbok centre Robbie Fleck found themselves facing the giant winger just metres from the tryline.
"The ball was going down the line. Tana Umaga was about to give it to Jonah. He had five metres to go with me and Fleckie looking at each other with big eyes."
Luckily for the South Africans, Lomu lost the ball before he could get over the line.
"Me and Fleckie were like, high five, yes! It was beautiful," Paulse joked.
Despite Lomu being the most intimidating player he faced, Paulse named another All Black as the best rugby player he ever played against.
"Christian Cullen, for me, is the GOAT of All Black rugby. I don't care what anybody else says," he said.
"A humble guy, just a wonderful man, but for me the best rugby player I've ever played against."
Paulse also mentioned the late Jerry Collins as one of the toughest All Blacks he faced, joking that after one encounter with the powerful loose forward, he could still feel it the following day.
What is it really like facing the haka?
Paulse faced the All Blacks 13 times during his Springbok career, meaning he had more than his fair share of opportunities to stand opposite the famous haka.
According to the former Bok wing, the experience never lost its impact.
"Every time you stand there and you're holding your mate, it almost starts to work you up, but in a positive way," he said.
"They're laying down this ultimate challenge for you, and you have to respond to that and you have to respect that."
Paulse said teams have tried different ways of responding to the haka over the years, but he believes the tradition should simply be respected.
"It's a beautiful tradition."
He added that the mutual respect between the Springboks and All Blacks is part of what makes the rivalry so special.
"It doesn't matter what sport you like out there, but when the Boks and the All Blacks play, it is something second to none.
"Just the drama and tension and everything that goes with it. It is really, really special."
Paulse joins the Good Morning Angels Golf Day
Before getting into the rugby talk, Paulse also had some exciting news for the Breakfast team.
After initially joking that he could caddie for his friend Ross Volk at the 2026 Good Morning Angels Golf Day, Paulse received confirmation that he would actually be joining Volk's team as a player.
"I went very quickly from caddie to player, so I'm very happy," Paulse joked.
He also promised to make a few calls to encourage even more people to support the annual fundraiser.
The 2025 Good Morning Angels Golf Day raised R5.7 million to help Good Morning Angels continue changing lives for good.
New SuperSport show celebrates South Africa's rugby culture
Paulse also revealed that viewers can look forward to a new SuperSport show called ‘This Is How We Rugby’.
According to Paulse, the show will focus on much more than what happens between the four lines.
"It'll be about the culture, the identity and character of South African people," he said.
"You'll see some wonderful stories coming out. It's not tactical. It's fun, and people have got to bring the gees as well."
For Paulse, that culture and passion are exactly what make rugby such an important part of South African life.
"You live it, you breathe it, you eat it. It's a whole cultural experience around the rugby."
Listen to the full conversation here:
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