There comes a time when you’ve battled for every single point on the scoreboard, when you’ve made every single earth-shattering hit count and powered every grinding scrum into the ground.
You must believe in every single man around you and dig deep into the reserves of your very own soul. You must battle amidst fire and brimstone, clear the enshrouding smoke and allow yourself to be baptised by the fiery crucible of those four lines surrounding you.
Once that whistle blows in the eightieth, you can look one another in the eye and know that your crown may have been taken from you today, but not without a fight.
Welcome to the game that embraces rugby for what it truly is, the game that is arguably the greatest rivalry in the entire code. Welcome to an All Black versus Springbok game.
New Zealand and South Africa are historically the greatest rugby teams on the planet. Both these rugby nations have statistical winning percentages against every other team on the globe.
Both these teams have resided at the summit of supremacy in their numerous respective timelines. But is this really what makes this particular contest so undeniable?
The answer is an emphatic no.
The foundations of the Springbok-All Black contest have always been tradition, respect and pride. For the past three years their respective games have been highly anticipated, built up to be an enthralling spectacle of the unyielding nature of rugby union in essence, personified in thirty men on the field and thousands in the stands.
When New Zealand Rugby presented Springbok captain Jean de Villiers and age-old stalwart Bryan Habana with their golden caps for reaching the hundred game milestone last year it was evident that their respect for the men in green and gold transcends that of solely age old rivals, but the acknowledgement of two nations that carry rugby in their innermost beings.
As testament to this, All Black inside centre Ma’a Nonu left the Cake Tin field after breaking his arm in 2014. Yet amidst the agony and increasing adrenaline, he demanded the opportunity to personally leave his coveted black jersey on the resting place of the South African captain in the Springbok changing room as a token of respect after all those years of engaging in bludgeoning combat before heading to the medical staff.
In a similar vein Springbok number 8, Duane Vermeulen, heaped praise on his opposing number Kieran Read before the epic encounter at Ellis Park in 2013, saying that he regarded Read as the player with the calibre he wanted to withstand, match and ultimately exceed. Read retaliated in 2014 by calling Vemeulen a “big, brutal African” in the return fixture at the same venue that year.
The hookers also had some time to bond on a farm in 2012 after the native Free Staters, Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis, invited then New Zealand hooker Andrew Hore to enjoy the tranquility of the African Sunset at their farm and assembled around the braai.
Jerry Collins’ memory was done an equal justice by this weekend’s Springbok captain Schalk Burger in the aftermath of that truly tragic loss to every mother’s son who calls himself a rugby man. “Jerry Collins… You knew he was coming”, those were the final words Burger chose to celebrate the life of a man that brought so much to all those inside and outside those four lines of rugby.
The wise men we all love to believe we can outsmart, Heyneke Meyer and Steve Hansen, have an equally touching rugby relationship built on a trust that was evident from the get-go. Between the two, they have a sacred pact, that the loser must buy the winner a beer.
Unfortunately Heyneke Meyer has only had the cold one once in six attempts, a fact that is perhaps ironic given the fact that Hansen’s nickname for him is apparently ‘Heineken’.
The players and the management of the two teams seem to have a genuine rugby relationship built on the mutual respect between them. This is in essence what rugby was always intended to be.
This Saturday these teams face one another on a ground that houses a great deal of significance for both of them. Ellis Park is a spiritual plain with the ability to turn even the simplest of tussles into a high-scoring game.
It was here where the Springboks united a nation through the boot of Joel Stransky in 1995 when a multitude of forty million divided people believed only in the fifteen men on the field feeding on their hopes and dreams, it was here where the All Blacks, the most successful team in world sport delivered the greatest performance that I had ever seen in any rugby game, beating the Springboks 38-27 before marching on to claim a perfect season that same year. It was here where a 55 metre penalty from Patrick Lambie breathed life into South Africa’s World Cup aspirations in 2014.
If you want to see a game that will forcibly imprint itself into your very own psyche then watch this rivalry at Ellis Park.
Now before the protesting brigade light up the torches and sharpen the pitchforks, this is not intended as a slight to the various other rugby playing nations in the world. It would taste a lie to proclaim that other rivalries only hold a small proverbial candle to the perceived supernova I’m claiming the All Bok rivalry has, naturally other clashes entice just as much as a rugby spectacle.
The quality of a rivalry does not always reflect the quality of rugby played between two sides. For instance, the third Bledisloe game between the Wallabies and All Blacks last year was, in my view, the most thrilling game of the season in terms of pure rugby watching quality. The game just never seemed to stagnate and the result was only ever a certainty after the eighty minutes were forfeit.
It is an undeniable truth that Australia are part of a rivalry with the All Blacks that sits up with the best of them in its own right. But this rivalry seems more country related than it does about rugby. It seems rather more like a sporting rivalry than it does a genuine rugby rivalry.
In comparison, South Africa and New Zealand have little interest with one another besides in the realms of rugby union. Rugby seems the link between these two countries, hence it being a rugby rivalry in every sense of the term.
The big question regarding the big one this weekend however is whether or not the Springboks will be able to put up much of a fight with a severely depleted team in terms of experience and stability. To fully gain enlightenment on this matter, we must analyse last weekend’s fortunes.
It has been an unnecessary debate among Roarers the past week about whether or not the Springboks deserved to walk away from Suncorp Stadium having won rather than lost. Various Roarers have stated that this would indeed have been the right way for the last week to have ended, seeing as they perceived that the Boks were more the genuine article than the Wallabies.
In my view, I can only summarise that way of thinking in one strong word.
Nonsense.
To believe that the Springboks deserved to win more than the Wallabies deserved to, based on the proceedings of the first fifty odd minutes, is not a notion I am like to entertain. Of course this is only my stance on the matter, nothing I state here is something I am trying to force upon as truth. But to irrevocably state my case, the Wallabies were the better side and deserved to win and I am satisfied that they did for the good of rugby.
Those who have followed my work here on The Roar will probably remember when I stated that I am not a believer in the “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve” way of thinking. I remain constant in those sentiments.
I firmly believe that a game of rugby is played for eighty minutes and in those eighty minutes, the team that scores the most points is the winner by right, regardless of how those points were aggregated. As an example, let’s take last weekend.
The Springboks lead the Wallabies 20-7 at one stage and according to some, that meant that they were the better side. But then how did they not win the game? Did they idly stand by and let the Wallabies run in two tries? Or did the Wallabies actually lift their game and earn those two tries?
I believe the latter. To suggest otherwise would be a slap in the face of every man drenched in gold who worked incredibly hard to win the game at the death. It is not ‘luck’ to play thirty extraordinary minutes to overshadow a previous fifty sloppy minutes.
Luck would be when you win the game off of a highly questionably penalty where the general consensus is that it should not have been given. In a supporter’s terms we call it “the ref screwing up again”.
For me this is the only time when a team didn’t deserve to win even if they did. There is a tangible difference between say last weekend and last year’s All Bok Test. Yes, Liam Messam did give Schalk Burger the cold shoulder, but the ref initially did not see it and had it not been for some not so divine intervention then the All Blacks would probably have left Ellis Park smiling.
But the fact remained that Messam did not use any arms, so if the ref was doing his job expertly then he should have picked it up in the first place.
Nonetheless, it is very debatable that the All Blacks “should have won the game.”
But then if we are to believe in this “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve” mentality then we have nothing to fear, the All Blacks aren’t that good then. They’ve had plenty of close shaves the past four years, lots of those games ending with their opponents finishing the stronger team, edging ever so close.
Last weekend the Wallabies deserved to win. There was nothing ‘unlucky’ about the Springboks losing. The Boks could not withstand a passionate barrage of Wallaby walloping for thirty minutes and so lost fairly, end of story, goodbye, the end.
In my view of course.
The good news is that after last weekend’s result and yet two more injuries, no one is giving the Boks the light of day. No one expects the Boks to make a statement this weekend, few believe they’ll win. It’s fantastic.
The Springboks know the underdog status all too well and it has served them accordingly. In every World Cup year, the Springboks are seen as a lukewarm title contender, behind in the pecking order.
Judging from what I’ve read on numerous sites the hot favourites for the trophy are New Zealand and Ireland for obvious reasons and then England for their home ground advantage, which is very understandable. After last weekend’s result, Australia has emerged as another title contender above the Boks.
The good news my South African comrades, Harry and especially Biltongbek, is that you need not fret. We will play a more expansive game this weekend, feel free to disagree, but if you do then you’ll both owe me a beer. Harry will owe me two because he’s Harry.
For the past three years it has been the Meyer way to revert back to our kick-pass-pray game plan whenever we go abroad only to summon superhuman running play when we hit the Republic.
In 2013 the Boks deployed the kick-pass-pray tactic at Suncorp and Eden Park only to run like there was no tomorrow at Newlands and Ellis Park and ditto for last year. It seems that Meyer only has the stones to play that way at home which is kind of useless seeing as the World Cup will not be in South Africa this year.
For the All Blacks, I expect to see a fifty percent improvement on last weekend’s performance and even then they won’t be close to their full playing potential, scary as it is to contemplate.
The New Zealanders will rejoice playing in the Republic, especially Ellis Park, seeing as South Africa’s fields suit their running game even more than their fields in New Zealand. I expect the All Black defence to be a lot tighter than the past two years where they conceded two long ranged tries against the Springboks in both games in the first half.
This makes for an equally as thought-provoking subject. For the past two years the All Blacks have been caught out wide for the majority of the Boks’ tries, as if they weren’t expecting the Boks to go as wide as they have in those respective games.
The first try in 2013 came from Bryan Habana after Morne Steyn skipped two ball carriers, giving the ball to Vermeulen at the outside centre channel. Vermeulen proceeded to cutting Nonu and Conrad Smith apart before giving Habana the ball where he scored on the wing.
The second try also came from the outside centre channel when Francois Louw offloaded the ball behind Kierand Read’s back to Habana to claim his second. Jean de Villiers and Willie le Roux added to the tally out wide shortly after.
Last year Francois Hougaard scored off of interplay from de Villiers, Hendricks and Serfontein before Pollard went over for his first a couple of minutes later. Pollard’s first try also came from out wide when de Villiers gave the short ball to le Roux who in turn found Habana who beat Dagg and ultimately sent Pollard over.
It would seem that the All Blacks are more fragile in their defence out wide than they would care to admit, but I would imagine that they won’t be fooled thrice in that regard.
The worst thing the Boks could do this weekend is try to play the kick-pass-pray. This true simply because they do not possess the team technically astute enough to play the game that way effectively. It seems that their only option would be to try and run the All Blacks off their feet which is not to impossible to believe given the previous game between the sides.
With a sad heart I would have admit that I do not see the young Bok team winning this one. The pack of forwards just does not have the edge it should have and without forward dominance, the backline will have nothing to work with.
The absence of Vermeulen, Marcell Coetzee and Willem Alberts leaves the Boks short of a prominent ball carrier and one of those is invaluable against a team like the All Blacks.
Of course I sincerely hope that I am wrong, but the gut feeling just won’t subside.
Here is to hoping that rugby’s greatest rivalry will dish up yet another legendary performance and a great sense of camaraderie. Good luck to each and every All Black supporter this weekend.
My prediction: Head says All Blacks by 10, heart says Springboks by 2.
Muzzo
Guest
@ James' Well said, as in the true feeling of the game between the two nations. It might also be worth taking into consideration, the overall, record in for & against in these contests, as no other nations at this level, come close. I myself can go back, as a very young fella, to our worst recorded year ever. That of 1949, when the AB's lost all four test on that particular trek of South Africa, under the captaincy of Fred "the Needle" Allen, whilst at home during that tour, the AB's lost the two test series to the Wallabies.It was a very bad year for New Zealand rugby. But the following year they did come back & beat a very good Lion's team in four test's, with the first being drawn. In regards to Henry, his recent comment, of stating, that this will possibly be the strongest squad ever taken to the RWC, is worth noting, as I agree. There is something else, that should be recognised, & that is the world rankings. Since they were introduced, by World Rugby(then the IRB) back in 2003, New Zealand has held the No.1 rating now, for the last 10 years. Some sort of an achievement. As for tonight's test, knowing the location well, & the respect I have for the game of both nations, I would not even attempt to pick a score line, as all I can say for the game, may the better team on the day win.
James
Guest
Clearly you haven't read Henry's recent book, where he says that he still regards the Boks as the biggest test for the ABs. I'm a 27 year old NZer and I agree. I think most NZ fans who follow rugby very closely and know the history of the side would regard the Boks as the ultimate test, especially in South Africa, where we still have a losing record. Up until late 90s the Boks still had an overall winning record against the ABs. The rivalry with Australia has been too one sided historically. However a lot of NZers who only casually follow the ABs assume the Australian rivalry is bigger, just because we love beating Aus across all sports in general, and rugby is the only one we consistently win at. So we do place a lot of importance on it. Although most NZers don't realise how minor a sport rugby union is across the ditch, compared to AFL, NRL and even soccer, so it's not really part of the fabric of the nation, as it is in SA and NZ. In my opinion the first series win in South Africa in 1996 is still the ultimate achievement by a AB side. Just like Australian and English cricketers define their careers in Ashes contests, the same can be said about NZ and SA rugby players in contests between the nations.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
An Omen Ivan? Barrett played what, something like 22 matches for AB's before tasting defeat. Didn't last and was not an omen
Perry
Guest
Fantastic article and I can't wait for this true clash of rugby powers. In my opinion, this is not only one of (if not the biggest in world rugby match-ups), but I would also go as far as saying that this has also turned into one of the biggest rivalries in world sport. It's going to be close, fun to watch and some experts see the AB's (-155) as being slight favorites coming in (as seen at topbet.eu). Though the Springboks are tough as nails at home, I think NZ just shade it 28-24. Other predictions?
superba
Guest
Armand you have encapsulated in beautiful prose the enduring rivalry between SA and NZ .I was brought up to worship the Boks as were many young Saffas .Be it Lionel Wilson working at Henshilwoods in Claremont or seeing Tiny Naudé turning out for Hammies at Sea Point . And of couse no.8 John " Hoppy " Hopwood who would run holding the ball in his hand , palm.facing the ground .A teacher at my school in Cape Town married Bok centre John Gainsford and he told me , when I was a lightee at school , of his Bok tour to NZ .He said they were on a bus driving through the night in NZ , from town to town, and asked a kiwi afterwards od the significance of the lit candles at the front doors of the houses as they went from town to town in the dark night. He was told that these were young NZ boys waiting to see the Springbok bus pass through their town in the night so that they could tell their friends " I saw the Springboks passing through our town last night " .Such is the depth of feeling , of rivalry , of respect and comeraderie between these nations .It has been forged in the furnace of the fields of hope and foreboding as these two rivals have clash for supremacy .Be it on the highveld of SA or the cold and wet fields of the South Island of NZ the intensity and respect isn always there .And so often when there is a dialogue between SA and NZ there is a respect which is not quite evident when they communicate with others .This goes back a long long long way .
Jerry
Guest
He's been blessed with good timing, I'll give him that.
JMB
Guest
Great read and has me even more pumped for this epic match. There's been some fantastic games at Ellis park. Just rewatched NZ v SA 1997 at Ellis Park, that game was incredible and up there with the last two years. I think NZ has a stronger team sheet but if there's any stadium which makes SA play out of their skins it's this one. Not too much talk about the ref, Owens and Barnes (aside from TMO/ crowd bully cave in on the last penalty) had strong games, could play a big factor. Let it run and bring it on!
Muzzo
Guest
@ Chook, Mate really, it's just you. lol ................. The Welsh can keep their Jones's & we'll keep our Smith's. lol
Muzzo
Guest
@ Nosmo King, Oh yes, & the words that shocked a nation, coming from the mouth of Peter Jones after that fantastic win in the last test at Eden Park!! He was asked how he felt, his response was." I'm absolutely buggered". Quite laughable now, but it wasn't the thing to say then, lol. I myself, growing up in Dunedin, remember that touring party very well,& actually have the manager of the team acknowledge me at their hotel, being none other than the great Dr. Danie Craven. We at that stage had the Bok's in Dunedin for close on two weeks, having them play Otago, the weekend before the first test which we won 10 - 6, thanks to that marvelous boot of Ron Jarden. There were some fantastic players in that side. Jaap Bekker, "Salty" du Rand, Van Vollenhoven, Tommy Gentles, just to name a few. It was a tour that will always stick in my mind. Cheers
Machooka
Roar Guru
@ Muzzo Just quickly... your AB selection did remind me of the Welsh... like a Smith and Jones sort of thing... or is it just me ?
Muzzo
Guest
@ Chook, If anything, mate the only good luck I need at the moment, is a good internet connection, as in this part of the world, it has been shocking for the last day or so. Enough of the whinging & back to reality, & Mate I too wish you & the Wallabies the best luck in the weekend, as I do realise both of our teams from the southern ocean's, will possibly need a little bit of it. The Bok's will be no push over, especially after last weekend's loss, & in that awesome stadium that is Ellis Park, the atmosphere will be electric, as they too, are very passionate with their rugby. I think that the Puma's too, could be a little dangerous after their loss, & they do have a very good forward pack, as the AB's found out. It's nice to see that in the third test of the season, so far, that the"three Musketeer Smith clan", will be having their first outing together, with Lima slotting in at 10, & the world's best full back, Bender, playing on the wing. Still no Julian or Nehe, & I'm picking Hansen might unleash them, come the Sydney Bledisloe. Remembering we have Wayne Barnes with the pea, for that encounter. Yeh mate, I have noticed, re johnny, but I was thinking he might have had a visit to "the fountain of youth", hence the jnr. Food for thought. Lol. It's great to see Bernard back where he should be. He copped enough flack over the Tah's loss to those horrible, brilliant Highlanders, but anyone can have a bad night at the office. Under Cheika, I honestly think we will see the better coach in action. I might not agree with some of his selections, from time to time, but doesn't that happen with the AB's too, at times? Yep mate let's just sit back with our long necks & watch, as it's just starting to warm up, as far as our game goes, this year. A massive year, or a tear, ahead. Cheers.
Rebel
Guest
That's what they are...to some
Muzzo
Guest
@ Die hard Agreed, as I myself found out whilst in South Africa in 2013. The South Africans are great to talk rugby with.
Gonzo
Guest
Princess Leia. Don't you ruin that scene for us. You know what scene.
Jackster
Guest
Just to further illustrate Armands point, this is an article written by a travelling NZ journalist on the recent exchange between the rivals. The respect is real. Hopefully supporters from both sides, might show as much humility as the men we worship. http://www.radiosport.co.nz/opinion/nigel-yalden-respect-between-great-sides-remains/
Mike Julz
Guest
Very good read. Great article on the rivalry. A match all rugby fans around the world should watch. Theres something about Ellis Park thats brings out the best of both teams, in that the two teams played out a classic, entertaining test match. That was evident in the past two years, this week is no exception. Cant wait.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Armand, a rejuvenating and re enlightening piece my friend: Love your surname also, because as the doyen of New Zealand Rugby Commentators from ''back in the day'' one Winston McCarthy would and did pronounce your Surname as ""Fin Sail" something that he used to pride himself on, was the pronunciation of the Afrikaan sounding names of Springbok players and to my mind he did it very well. Your article awoke my inner All Black vs Springbok love of all things represented by the rugby rivalry of these two great rugby playing Nations that I've been extremely fortunate to have witnessed since the 1940s till today. As a schoolboy growing up in the King Country of New Zealand, I remember very well travelling by ''rugby special'' train to Wellington with my Father and his mates to watch the 1956 Test between the Springboks and the All Blacks a game won by the Boks being their only Test win of the tour. The 1956 tourist Boks were a wonderful team built on the always great rivalries between the two Countries brought up on a diet of rugby, rugby. and rugby in that order of preference something my rugby mad Father drilled into me as a youngster that. " there was and always would be only two great rugby playing Countries in the rugby playing world. those being New Zealand and South Africa", and :"don't you forget it". That was a brutal Test series of which I'm sure every rugby loving tragic would know about, but apart from the Tests the provincial games were an absolute success and the Tourists Captained by Basie Viviers and Salty du Rand were hugely popular and made a lasting impression on the Kiwis'. Eventually the vagaries of Apartheid as espoused by the South African Nation ended up by rugby being caught up in that very scenario, which meant we didn't see the Boks again for a number of years, ~ sadly. Eventually rugby did reappear and it became what it was before and what it is today, the typical great rivalry being restored to whence it had always been and hopefully will always be. I doubt if this revered rivalry will ever wane from now on in and thankfully we'll be able to enjoy these wonderful clashes between two Titans of the rugby World. The playing of each other is the epitome of the game we Kiwis and South Africans all cherish, that will never change. Having had the privilege of watching and enjoying rugby in many forms for around 70 years, I know that I have seen the best of the best in South African and New Zealand rugby and feel incredibly enlightened because of it.
IvanNel
Guest
In 4 tests that Brussow has started against NZ... he has never lost. Omen ?
Harry Jones
Expert
@ Riccardo; he's only 29, but he plays an injury-attracting style. The thing he has to do is ration the rucks he goes for. Used to chase losing causes; great way to get pinged and dinged.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
Cheers Armand for a rousing article - not to be confused with an arousing article! If that didn't get the pulses racing amongst us NZ and SA fans, then call an ambulance as you're flatlining! Everyone is entitled to their best or favourite rivalries but there's no doubt this weekend at Ellis Park is my favourite rugby rivalry. Both nations breathe rugby like an artificial lung. The past Jburg tests have been crackers. SA caught us napping in the past two first halves. Let's see if they go for the bold and the beautiful approach again. Let's see if we can bring the Dallas approach with McCaw playing the JR Ewing role.