38,500 South Africans scanned reveals a nation of Springbok look-alikes

South Africans spend plenty of time debating Springbok selections. This year, though, Klipdrift has been running a very different kind of selection process: identifying the fans who bear the closest resemblance to their favourite Springboks.

Through its ‘Same Same but Klippies’ campaign, Klipdrift invited rugby supporters to upload a photo and discover which Springbok they looked most like, using facial similarity technology to find their closest match.

Following the conclusion of the Springboks-All Blacks Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 2026 tour, the results are now in, and the numbers paint a fascinating picture of a nation united by rugby.

Since launching in June, the Klipdrift Same-Same Scanner has recorded more than 38,500 scans, with South Africans enthusiastically embracing the chance to see which Bok they resemble most.

The campaign revealed several standout trends: 

• Neethling Fouché emerged as South Africa’s most-matched Springbok, with 1,885 fans finding him as their closest look-alike.
• Lood de Jager followed in second place with 1,577 matches.
• Wilco Louw rounded out the top three with 1,469 matches.
• South Africa accounted for 95% of all scans, with the United Kingdom ranking second.
• Gauteng led participation nationally, generating almost half of all scans, followed by the Western Cape.

The results build on the campaign’s earlier finding that South Africa appears to have a “second Springbok squad” made up entirely of ordinary supporters. As thousands of South Africans put themselves through the scanner, the campaign continued to uncover uncanny resemblances that sparked conversations, comparisons and friendly debate across the country.

“It’s been incredible to see how enthusiastically South Africans embraced the campaign,” says Donné Wolk, Marketing Head of Spirits. “What started as a fun and light-hearted way to celebrate rugby quickly became something much bigger. The response showed just how deeply connected people feel to the Springboks, and how eager they are to find their own place in that story.”

Beyond the numbers, the campaign highlighted something uniquely South African: the way rugby brings people together across generations, provinces and backgrounds.

“Whether someone matched with a prop, lock or winger, the excitement was always the same,” adds Wolk. “Friends challenged each other to scan, families compared results, and social feeds filled up with Bok comparisons. It reminded us that supporting the Springboks isn’t just about watching rugby. It’s about feeling part of something bigger.”

The campaign has now officially produced its own nationwide Bok Look-alike Squad, made up of supporters from around the country who came closest to matching members of the national team.

As the final whistle blows on the Same-Same Scanner campaign, one thing is clear, South Africans don’t just support the Springboks. In many cases, they look remarkably similar to them too.

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