With the Rugby World Cup just five weeks away, we take a closer look at each of the competing nations. After profiling 14 teams, we continue our series with South Africa.
In the 18 months since Rassie Erasmus took over as head coach, the Springboks have transformed from a laughing stock to genuine World Cup contenders.
Their swift turnaround has shaken the rugby world by storm and adds another exciting subplot to the sport’s global showpiece which gets under way in just five weeks time.
Winning the Rugby Championship last weekend – South Africa’s first trophy since the 2009 Tri-Nations – is confidence-boosting and a small prize for the path that Erasmus went on when he took the job last March.
Victories over Australia and Argentina, and a thrilling 16-16 draw against the All Blacks in recent weeks has the Springboks hitting form at the right time. And there is still plenty more to come.
Their ruthless thumping of the Pumas (46-13) last weekend in Salta to clinch the Rugby Championship followed New Zealand’s shock 47-26 defeat to Australia.
With the All Blacks stuttering‚ and England and Ireland off form in the Six Nations‚ South Africa has emerged as a surprise contender in what looks to be one of the most open tournaments in history.
The resurgent Boks will be out to show greater consistency when they begin their campaign against the All Blacks on September 21, a game that is likely to be the pool decider. After they face the world champions in Yokohama, Erasmus’s men will take on minnows Namibia, Italy and Canada.
The winner of the pool is likely to play Scotland, while the runner-up will take on Ireland for a place in the semi-finals.
Returning to the traditional Springbok style of play, the powerful South Africa forwards carry the ball with ferocity and a strong set-piece sets the platform to unleash their elusive backs at every opportunity.
Players like Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Franco Mostert, Duane Vermeulen and Malcolm Marx are all imperious with ball in hand and can make a critical difference against big opposition.
Behind the scrum, Faf du Kerk and Handre Pollard orchestrate proceedings from half back, with the searing pace of Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe to exploit out wide.
The team is far from the finished product, though, and a key theme throughout 2018 was the number of unforced errors that turned potentially winnable matches into defeats.
Among the seven defeats from 14 matches, four were by a margin of five points or less and all were games the team lost from winning positions.
But some extra weeks in camp has definitely ironed out errors and mental frailties, and they look more composed, intelligent and sharp in attack. Each player knows their job and respects the jersey.
On the defensive side, they tackle with conviction and don’t tire out towards the end of games like they did at times in 2018.
It feels like the embarrassing days of losing to Italy (20-18) or being thrashed 57-0 by the All Blacks were light years ago‚ and not a mere two years ago. That is testament to Erasmus and his coaching staff’s excellence in transforming the national side around.
The World Cup may be a step too far after only 18 months at the helm‚ but the giant leaps Erasmus and the Boks have taken have been stunning.
He has managed to build depth in most positions, capture the imagination of South African rugby public again, clinch their first piece of silverware in a decade and create an exciting and diverse gameplan.
Still, for any fan or player, it’s important to dream big, and the optimism around the team proves there is real belief they can be competing at the sharp end of the Rugby World Cup.
Nickname(s): Springboks
Union: South African Rugby Union
Head coach: Rassie Erasmus
Captain: Siya Kolisi
Most caps: Victor Matfield (127)
Top scorer: Percy Montgomery (893)
Top try scorer: Bryan Habana (67)
Star man: Handre Pollard. The Bulls star kicked 31 points to inspire the Boks to victory over Argentina last weekend. At 25, he is emerging as a real leader and has the ability to keep opponents constantly guessing with ball in hand as well as his accuracy from the boot.
Best finish: Winners (1995, 2007)
Fixtures: New Zealand (September 21), Namibia (September 28), Italy (October 4), Canada (October 8)
