- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Mention the 2000 Tri Nations, and people will recall memories of the breathtaking first Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, a match that was inspiring, entertaining, gripping and showcased “the game they play in heaven” at its best.
A game to rival the 1973 Barbarians Vs All Blacks match as the greatest of all time.
However, there was another Tri Nations Test played in 2000 that can lay similar claims for consideration, a Test that is overlooked and seldom discussed when fans debate the merits of great Tri Nations contests from that year: the second Tri Nations Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks played at Ellis Park, won by South Africa 46-40.
It was a match equally as thrilling and entertaining as the first Bledisloe Cup and one where finally everything fell into place for coach Nick Mallet. The Boks, who had gone try-less in their prior two Tri Nations encounters, unleashed some breathtaking rugby and outscored the All Blacks six tries to four, with Springbok centre Robbie Fleck in outstanding form.
I don’t know what it was about Tri Nations rugby in 2000, maybe New Zealand, South Africa and Australia caught the Y2K bug that year and reprogrammed themselves to play more attacking rugby, a necessary dose of medicine after a World Cup year that didn’t exactly cover itself in glory (Special note: laws were unchanged from 1999)
It’s also a timely reminder to fans critical of the Boks current style of play and unsavoury incidents this year that they are also capable of playing beautiful, expansive rugby.
The teams named that day were:
SOUTH AFRICA
Thinus Delport
Breyton Paulse
Grant Esterhuizen
Robbie Fleck
Chester Williams
Braam van Straaten
Werner Swanepoel
Andre Vos
Rassie Erasmus
Corne Krige
Adrian Venter
Mark Andrews
Cobus Visagie
Charl Marais
Hennie Le Roux
NEW ZEALAND
Christian Cullen
Tana Umaga
Alama Ieremia
Pita Alatini
Jonah Lomu
Andrew Mehrtens
Justin Marshall
Ron Cribb
Josh Kronfeld
Taine Randell
Norm Maxwell
Todd Blackadder
Kees Meuws
Anton Oliver
Carl Hoeft
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.