Springboks are a proper sporting dynasty and nobody sane of mind is betting against a World Cup three-peat
Springboks players celebrate and an inset of head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Ireland great Tommy Bowe left Dublin hailing “the best two teams in the world” – referring only to South Africa.
The Springboks had lost four of the last five meetings and Rassie Erasmus had never won at the Aviva. Yet 80 minutes of rugby relegated the Irish to third in a two-horse race.
“You have to hand it to the Springboks, they’re the best in the world,” Bowe told TNT Sports after a bruising clash in the House of Cards.
“With the level of talent they’re able to bring off the bench, they’re the best TWO teams in the world.”
Malcolm Marx brought Ireland to their knees
The visitors had ended 13 years without a win in the Irish capital. “Right now,” Will Greenwood said, “everyone else is just playing for second place.”
Posting on Instagram, the English World Cup winner added: “South Africa finish the year miles clear. They are absolutely freaking immense.”
In the away changing room a cheer went up. Victor Matfield, a legend of yesteryear, had walked in with the World Rugby men’s player of the year trophy and pointed to hooker Malcolm Marx.
“He’ll be coming round the corner, Malcolm Marx,” the Boks squad and support staff began chanting, repeating the refrain again and again, louder each time, accompanied by wild clapping.
If ever there was a moment to single out an individual in a team game it was now.
Nobody has done more across the year to keep South Africa ahead of the rest. In an era of mass substitutions he has been irreplaceable.
On Saturday night, the 31-year-old brought the Ireland team to its knees, leading the demolition job at scrum-time and bossing the touchlines with unerring accuracy.
His dominance gives the Boks a swagger. They know they are the best, even if Damian Willemse shushing the crowd with a finger to his lips after scoring the opening try, and Cobus Reinach taunting Bundee Aki after bagging the second, is not to everyone’s liking.
You have to remind yourself that only three months ago, this team was having its backside handed to it on a plate in its spiritual home by Australia.
That tumultuous day in Johannesburg, the unrated Wallabies came from 22-0 down, scoring 38 unanswered points to win at Ellis Park for the first time in 62 years.
Erasmus spoke of his embarrassment, branded his team’s performance “awful” and said he even fielded a call from his concerned mum, telling him she “still” loved him.
On that occasion, the Boks’ lineout was a shambles, they were schooled at the breakdown and their Bomb Squad made no impact at all. Contrast that with what we have seen since.’
The bounce back
The way they bounced back to stick a record defeat on the All Blacks in Wellington only weeks later was a massive feather in the cap of Erasmus and his coaching team.
In fact, this team’s ability to win successive World Cups yet keep improving, renewing both personnel and motivation as they go, marks them down as a proper sporting dynasty.
To fully appreciate what they did in Dublin on their latest outing requires us to recognise the contribution of Ireland.
Andy Farrell’s side spent the first half of the game not so much shooting themselves in the foot as obliterating it with machine gun fire as they racked up card after card to reach the break with only 12 on the pitch.
Against any opponent that would present a challenge. Against this one, the size of task was unimaginable.
To not only stay in the fight but win the second period 6-5 against a South African machine that amassed 36 points without reply after half-time against New Zealand in the Cake Tin, was heroic.
Farrell said he was “unbelievably proud” of his side’s never-say-die fight and he had a right to be. Yet as the Boks move to within a win over Wales of a perfect tour, Erasmus has most to be excited about.
No nation has won three successive Rugby World Cups. 676 days from the start of the 2027 tournament, nobody sane of mind is betting against South Africa.