What if Ntlabakanye had tested positive? The Currie Cup final that almost wasn’t

Asenathi Ntlabakanye will start for the Lions in Saturday’s Currie Cup final against Griquas. Yet, behind the roar of Ellis Park, a shadow hangs over the Springbok prop: the ongoing doping charges that could see his career suspended for up to four years. What if things had gone differently — if Ntlabakanye had tested positive in a match?

The Fragile Line Between Innocence and Suspension

Currently, Ntlabakanye’s case hinges on substances he declared on medical forms and received advice for from two separate doctors. Because he wasn’t provisionally suspended, he can still play. But if an in-competition test had detected the non-specified, performance-enhancing drug DHEA in his system, the rules would have been unforgiving.

A positive test would have triggered an automatic provisional suspension, immediately sidelining him from the Currie Cup final. The Lions would have lost their starting tighthead prop — and vice-captain — at the most critical moment of the season.

Impact on the Lions and Springboks

The ramifications would extend beyond club rugby. In the Springboks’ camp, any confirmed positive would have led to his removal from tours or international duty. With the November series looming, a suspension would not only have interrupted his development but cast a long shadow over the team’s preparations.

For the Lions, losing Ntlabakanye would mean restructuring the front row under immense pressure while dealing with the media storm that accompanies any high-profile doping case.

Career Consequences

A confirmed positive for DHEA carries a maximum four-year ban for first-time offenders, though mitigating circumstances sometimes reduce the sentence. Even a two-year ban would be catastrophic, potentially ending his hopes of featuring in major tournaments or the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle.

Currently, transparency and adherence to medical guidance leave him in a grey zone — eligible to play but under scrutiny. A positive test would remove that ambiguity, cementing a public perception of wrongdoing regardless of intent.

The Emotional Toll

Even without a positive test, Ntlabakanye has faced a psychological crucible: preparing for a career-defining final while navigating formal charges, potential bans, and media speculation. A positive test would only have magnified the pressure, adding public shame and uncertainty to an already intense mental and physical challenge.

Conclusion

The difference between declaration and detection has allowed Ntlabakanye to line up at Ellis Park this weekend. Yet this “what if” scenario underscores the razor-thin margins in professional rugby — and the unforgiving nature of anti-doping regulations. One in-competition test could have transformed celebration into suspension, fans’ cheers into headlines, and a rising career into a cautionary tale.

For now, he plays. But the question remains: how close was he to never stepping on that field at all?