Pocket Rocket: Brent Russell’s Colourful Springbok Career

Brent Russell made his Springbok debut in 2002 and in just his third appearance announced himself on the world stage with a magnificent solo try against Australia in Brisbane. Unfortunately opportunities would be few and far between for the man who would become known as the Pocket Rocket. He did manage to make another memorable impact in the 2003 Tri-Nations, also against the Australians, at Newlands when he put in a man of the match performance. In this exclusive interview, Brent looks back on the highs, the lows and the frustrations during a colourful Springbok career that saw him miss the 2003 World Cup through injury, and be treated more as a nice-to-have in the squad owing to his versatility, rather than a prized asset. Here you will hear directly from Russell, as he talks frankly about his time in the famous green and gold.