Under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus and old pal Jacques Nienaber, the Springboks have proven – twice in a row – that a team can be crafted to claim Old Bill in less than two years as opposed to the usual four-year cycle between tournaments.
The All Blacks between 2011 and 2015 – the greatest Test team ever – were the first to win consecutive Rugby World Cups at home and in England in those two particular years. However, admirably falling at the semi-final stage in 2019 proved that it is very, very difficult to hold on to top players that can participate in three tournaments on the bounce.
Age and the increasing demands of modern rugby will probably cause a considerable amount of those who triumphed in 2019 and 2023 to not reach the global showpiece event in Australia in 2027. If neither proves to be an obstacle, there is the reality of a loss in form and facing stiff competition from a younger generation of seriously talented players.
Thankfully, a lot of the men who were in France will be at the peak of their careers Down Under, and most importantly, they will be in senior positions in the squad should all go according to plan, so fingers are crossed. Four Rugby World Cup titles out of eight attempts proves that the Springboks are lethal in tournament rugby and have figured out how to peak when it matters the most.
However, the All Blacks, Ireland and France will be annoyed after being all ‘gazumped’ to the trophy by South Africa. Again. Frighteningly, these teams will boast supremely talented squads that won’t have been affected greatly by the possible pitfalls of facing Erasmus and his coaching staff. Amid the ambition for a currently mythical three-peat, there is also having to cure the itch of relative Bok mediocrity between World Cups.
They have won one Rugby Championship since the introduction of the tournament in 2012, a rather poor return. All who love the team want it to underline its dominance during normal Test rugby seasons, something that the All Blacks did ruthlessly from 2012 until 2017.
The continuity on the coaching staff shows that stability will remain in the setup, with the likelihood of Nienaber returning from Ireland down the line. With the exciting addition of some heavyweights to this backroom staff, there is no betting against the Springboks doing what once was impossible, but now is doable.
