Nobody saw Imad Khan coming — and that’s exactly why the Stormers scrum-half might be one of the more intriguing names in Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks training squad this month.
The 22-year-old rookie, thrust into the starting role after Cobus Reinach went down with a medial cruciate ligament injury late in the United Rugby Championship season, didn’t just hold his own. According to former Springboks head coach Nick Mallett, Khan flat-out impressed in some of the biggest games of the Stormers’ campaign.
Speaking on the Talking Boks podcast, Mallett didn’t hold back when asked which lesser-known player could crack a matchday lineup for the world champions.
“I think Immy [Imad] Khan, who only started this year as a regular starter for the Stormers after Cobus Reinach,” Mallett said. “But Immy against Leinster was, I thought, had a great game, especially on defense. He made a tackle on Prendergast that kept the Stormers in the game about five yards from the line — got off the line, tackled him back, and really showed some good aggression.”
Khan’s rapid ascent is a case study in opportunity meeting preparation. The former South Africa U20 star had been splitting backup duties with Stefan Ungerer for most of the season, but once Reinach’s knee injury sidelined him after a dominant 48-12 win over Glasgow Warriors, Khan got the nod from Stormers boss John Dobson. He started the final two regular-season league games against Ulster and Cardiff, then steered the Stormers past the Dragons in the quarterfinals before falling to Leinster in the semis.
Those performances were enough to earn Khan a call-up to Erasmus’ extended 51-man squad ahead of the Springboks’ June 20 clash against the Barbarians in Gqeberha and next month’s Nations Championship matches against England, Scotland, and Wales.
Mallett, who coached South Africa from 1997 to 2000, sees a deliberate strategy behind Erasmus’ large squad selection.
“This is classic Rassie. He covers every single corner, every single eventuality,” Mallett said. “I think we’ve seen already this year with the injuries we’ve had, there hasn’t been a sort of mass panic. Because of the depth we’ve built over the last couple of seasons, and he’s certainly using this Barbarians game and the alignment camp as an opportunity to get as many of the youngsters in — just to get them feeling comfortable about different environments.”
That sentiment extends beyond Khan. Erasmus has assembled a squad that includes several unheralded prospects, a move Mallett believes lays a foundation for sustained success.
“When you get into an international environment, it can be quite daunting if you’re a young guy,” Mallett added. “The earlier you do it, the next time they might be selected will be maybe two or three years down the line. But by that time, they’re going to feel comfortable in that environment, and it’s going to make them able to perform a lot better.”
Whether Khan gets on the field against the Barbarians remains to be seen. But his emergence has already added another layer to the Springboks’ already deep halfback pool — and given South African rugby fans a new name to watch.
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