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By Jacques van der Westhuyzen
In issue number 28 of Fifteen: The official SA Rugby Union magazine that hit the shelves late last year, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers reflects on the 2008 season - his first in charge of the Boks - by saying: "We have a young squad that could become one of the greatest Springbok sides of all time."
Well, De Villiers no doubt knew exactly what was going to transpire this year because not long after his Boks had beaten the British and Irish Lions in a three-Test series and captured the Tri-Nations crown, his team went to No.1 in the rankings and in many circles have been hailed the best Boks ever.
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In the same article De Villiers says the Boks' unbeaten run at the end of last year when they got the better of Wales, Scotland and England would raise expectation among the supporters. "Our loyal Bok fans can rest assured that we are a proud bunch who prepare to win and are ready to defend our World Champion status whenever and wherever we play," concluded the Bok coach.
| 'The challenge now is to show Europe just why the Boks are the No.1' |
Irrespective of what happens in the coming three Tests in Europe - against France, Italy and Ireland - the goals for the season have been met. This year was always going to be about the Lions; winning the Tri-Nations was a bonus in many respects.
The Boks go to Europe now having won seven of their nine Tests in 2009; that's a 77-percent win record.
Besides coming unstuck in the third Test against the Lions - largely due to a second-string side being picked - and losing to Australia in Brisbane - where all visitors battle - De Villiers' team have been in a class of their own. But their good run this year, to go to No.1 in the world, didn't just come out of the blue. We need to go back a bit in time to see how it's all come together.
De Villiers needs to be lauded for sticking with the core of the Bok team when he took charge early last year. He could easily have changed captains and made wholesale changes to the squad, but he stuck with the men who did the business at the World Cup and introduced a few other talents and, in time, he reaped the rewards.
With a new man in charge and possibly due to a rugby hangover - all teams seem to struggle the year after winning the World Cup - 2008 was always going to be a year of finding one's feet. And so it proved, especially in the Tri-Nations when the Boks should have done far better than they did.
| 'De Villiers' team have been in a class of their own' |
But the turning point came at the back-end of that series when, against Australia at Coca-Cola Park, the Boks ran out record 53-8 winners. It was this victory that kicked off the golden period the Boks now enjoy.
Two months later they beat Wales and Scotland before walloping England 42-6 at Twickenham. And then came 2009 and all that's been good in Springbok rugby.
The challenge now is to show Europe just why the Boks are the No.1 ranked side in the world. It's never easy touring the northern hemisphere in November - the players are tired after a long season and the conditions are not always favourable for the visitors. Yet, De Villiers seems intent on keeping the Boks at the top. This he made clear when he selected his best men for the tour.
After such a demanding season he could easily have left a number of seasoned campaigners at home. He chose not to because, as all coaches and players will tell you, winning becomes a habit and the more you win, the more you want to.
"When we run on to the field against France, Italy and Ireland we will be required to rise to the challenge once again, starting with a clean slate," says De Villiers in the media guide for the tour.
Indeed. The next chapter in De Villiers' career starts on Friday.
And while the majority of the triumphant Bok team will be on duty, De Villiers has to make do without four key members of his team of 2009.
Juan Smith and Pierre Spies are missing through injury, while Jean de Villiers and Frans Steyn are not eligible for selection. France and Ireland will be especially big tests as new players will come into the team, changing key dynamics.
The back row will be a new combination, as will the midfield, while the fullback position will also be filled by a new man.
How will these changes affect the structure of the side?
By keeping 15 players in South Africa when the rest of the 37-member squad left to Europe last week indicates De Villiers knows exactly who will run out against the French.
The tight five are settled, but the loose trio of Heinrich Brussow, Schalk Burger and Ryan Kankowski would not have played a lot together. The halfback pairing is a settled one, but the big test may come in the midfield where Adrian Jacobs will be paired with Jaque Fourie. How much will Jean de Villiers' organisational skills and strong defence be missed? At the same time Zane Kirchner has a golden opportunity to show he is the man to wear the No.15 in future.
De Villiers has made his selections; now it is up to the players to deliver. But how much is left in the tanks of these Boks? If they can get up on three more occasions this month there will be little dispute about De Villiers' John Smit-led team being the best of all time.
For, should this happen, the Boks would have beaten, in just over 12 months, all four of the home unions away from home, France and Italy, away from home, as well as Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, the last two home and away. A quite phenomenal record to say the least.
- This article was originally published on page 21 of Sunday Independent on November 08, 2009
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