Bok talent just the tip of the iceberg – ex-Springbok turned business strategist Flip van der Merwe

Former Springbok lock Flip van der Merwe has taken the lessons of high‑performance rugby into the boardroom, now working as a strategy consultant for business leaders. Living in Biarritz, France, he is also a co‑founder of the Lekker Network, which connects South Africans wherever they are. In an interview with BizNews, van der Merwe said many South Africans abroad share “a hunger to make South Africa work” and you don’t need to be an Elon Musk or Johann Rupert to make a difference. He draws on personal experiences from elite teams to guide leaders, citing role models such as Simon Sinek and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, whom he calls ahead of his time. Van der Merwe believes the Springboks are not only building a world‑class team but shaping great people off the field. And when it comes to rugby talent, he says, the Springboks we see winning matches today are only the tip of the iceberg, with even more talent emerging from Craven Week and the under‑21s.