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It’s been a long time since I’ve anticipated a game as much as I am with the upcoming All Blacks versus Springboks match. I’ve been reading about their epic battles throughout the 20th century, when the clash between the two sides was to decide who was the best rugby nation in the world.
New Zealand v South Africa is rugby’s greatest rivalry.
I think the reason why I’m so psyched for this game is because the bragging rights are on the line.
New Zealand were the best side in the world for around three years, and they won 43 out of 49 games. But they didn’t win the World Cup!
South Africa won the World Cup and have shown tremendous form, particularly in defence. But they didn’t beat New Zealand to win the World Cup, and I’m uncertain if they could have won the World Cup if they had faced the All Blacks.
So what we have here is a contest with a lot on the line. And it reminded me of two other games in the past where winning meant more than it normally does.
Australia v New Zealand – Bledisloe Cup 1987
Australia had won the Grand Slam in 1984, they’d won the Bledisloe Cup in 1986 and they were favourites to win the World Cup. Things didn’t turn out that way because of an inspired French side who broke the hearts of all Australians.
New Zealand encountered an opposite experience: they lost the Bledisloe in 1986, and their team looked old and over the hill. Yet, once the World Cup began, they played an expansive 15-man game, showcased some fresh exciting talent and won the hearts of a disenchanted New Zealand rugby public.
The one-off Bledisloe Cup game in 1987 promised that whomever won would walk away with the ultimate bragging rights. As Grant Fox said later, “The last thing we wanted to do was win the World Cup and then lose to Australia a few weeks later.”
It would have been sweet redemption for the Aussies, but that All Black side distinguished itself in the last 20 minutes, after what had been a feisty context.
New Zealand could then honestly claim they were the best side in the world.
South Africa v Australia – Cape Town 1992
“You’re not the real World Champs until you’ve beaten the Boks”, was the line constantly thrown at the Australians throughout the World Cup. It didn’t matter to many in South Africa that Australia had beaten some quality opposition to win the World Cup, something a great rugby nation like South Africa might not have been able to accomplish.
All that mattered was that if South Africa could beat Australia in a one-off game, they could tell the world they were the best.
Truthfully, South Africa may have been able to win the 1987 World Cup as they had demolished the Caveliers not long before.
A back-line boasting Nass Botha, Danie Gerber, Carel du Plessis and André Joubert might have troubled the 1987 World Cup winning All Blacks.
If South Africa won, they would claim they were the best team in the world and the true world champions, while Australia had to win to solidify their dominance over world rugby.
David Campese was forthright in his comments before the game that it was unfair that the crown for world’s best be decided on South African soil when Australia won the World Cup.
But into Cape Town the Aussies ventured.
And with what has been described by many as Australia’s greatest second half of rugby, they dished out South Africa’s then worst ever defeat with Tim Horan leading the way.
A week after nearly single-handedly beating the All Blacks, Danie Gerber was given the run around as Horan jinked upfield, chipped ahead of Gerber, swung Gerber to the ground, ripped the ball off him and set Campese up for his 50th Test try.
These two games were more than one-off games. They were official matches that unofficially crowned the best team in the world.
“Pride is forever” is a saying that sums it up. You can have World Cups and Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cups, but if you don’t have the pride that comes along with knowing you were unquestionably the best in your time, you may feel your achievements are diminished somewhat.
Certainly the All Blacks derived great satisfaction from beating the Aussies in 1987, and likewise with Australia beating South Africa in 1992.
Who will gain the ultimate satisfaction tonight?
In my estimation, I think the World Champion Springboks will win in a remarkably close game.
Beating New Zealand in New Zealand is nigh impossible these days, but with the world’s best rugby player in Richie McCaw sidelined with injury, I think an untried backrow trio and a shaky line-out might prove New Zealand’s undoing.
I will be glued to my TV screen!
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