Ever since I was at school, I’ve imagined a rugby team made up entirely of South African wild animals.
Recently, watching the Springboks play reignited this idea, and thanks to the incredible tools available today—AI text-to-image generators and a bit of Photoshop—I was finally able to bring it to life.
This series, called Beast Mode, is my homage to the Springboks. It celebrates the unique strengths and skills of South Africa’s wildlife, brought together as a formidable rugby team. Each animal represents not only a specific role on the field but also the personality and traits of the players who embody those positions.
It’s been an exciting process, deciding which animal should play where. Like a coach planning a winning combination, I felt like Rassie himself, working out the perfect line-up.
Here’s the final 15:
- Hippo
- Warthog
- Rhino
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Leopard
- Lion
- Water Buffalo
- Monkey
- Wild Dog
- Black Mamba
- Hyena
- Wildebeest
- Cheetah
- Fish Eagle
This project is a reminder of how powerful new technology can be in turning imagination into reality. But at its heart, it all comes down to storytelling—the way we bring ideas to life and make them resonate. The future is exciting, but the power of a great story will always remain the key.
