I have always said that what Brazil is to football, New Zealand is to rugby. These two nations play their beloved sports in the way that it was intended. The Brazilians have traditionally been skilful dribblers whose short-passing game produces goals that leave their adoring supporters going home with lasting memories. Similarly the All Blacks play an expansive style of rugby where the approach is to score more tries than the opposition. Watching these teams apply their trade is always worth the entrance fee.
By the same token I have compared South Africa’s rugby side to Italy’s football line-up. They have won World Cups but seem to always go about their business in the ugliest fashion. The Italians are known for their defensive ways and so too are the Springboks. Neither side is known in their sport for being cavalier despite possessing players who are certainly capable of producing the spectacular. For example, I am convinced if Bryan Habana was an All Black he would have scored 100 Test tries by now.
However, these days things seem to be less clear-cut. The Azzurri are playing an enterprising brand under Cesare Prandelli and have to be considered a dark horse for Brazil 2014. Similarly, Heyneke Meyer’s Boks have been running the ball and scoring tries in 2013. Now the term ‘reckless abandon’ will never apply to Springbok rugby but the South Africans have been worth the gate price this year.
Only New Zealand were able to beat the South Africans in what will go down as a successful year for Meyer. The vital thing now is to maintain this upward curve. If Meyer’s men can do that, they will be genuine contenders in England at the next Rugby World Cup in 2015.
There are many reasons to be excited about the Springboks right now. The results are there and while they are never going to be a running team, at least the backline players are expressing themselves and it bodes well.
To put this in context, it is South Africa’s best year since 1998 and third-best in the professional era. In 1998 Nick Mallet’s Springboks only lost their final Test of the year at Twickenham while Kitch Christie’s class of 1995 went unbeaten in 10 Tests.
Heyneke Meyer is on to something here and this is a genuinely exciting time to be a Springbok supporter. South Africa will never play the same style as the New Zealanders, but that does not mean that the game has to revolve around rolling mauls exclusively. Meyer has displayed that his coaching goes beyond traditional Bulls 10-man rugby and there is no doubt that South Africa must now be considered alongside New Zealand as an early favourite for Rugby World Cup 2015.