Beware the wounded Bok!
Brad Morgan
19 September 2003
When it comes to South Africa's chances in the Rugby World Cup, there's no shortage of doom-mongers out there. They'll have you believe the Springboks will be cannon fodder for England in Perth on 18 October, that their tournament will end with a quarterfinal crushing by New Zealand.
Recent form may support such views - but South Africa has a short and proud World Cup history that should not be forgotten. Take a look at the achievements of the green and gold in rugby's showcase event.
A glance back in recent history shows that the Springboks have found a way to raise their game when rugby’s biggest prize is on offer. It's worth a reminder that South Africa has competed in only two World Cups, winning the first and finishing third in their second attempt.
Proud record
The Boks' record is a superb one, bettered by no other team. In 12 World Cup Tests they have won 11 times and lost only once - and even
then Australia needed extra time to edge Joost van der Westhuizen's side 27-21 in the semifinals of the 1999 tournament.
Another measure of the Springboks' pedigree in rugby's showcase tournament is that they have always finished above the All Blacks.
Some may say history means nothing ahead of the 2003 Rugby World Cup and that South Africa is doomed to failure. Well, it has been said before. The forecasts ahead of the 1995 tournament were not that bright, especially when the Springboks managed only a narrow win over Western Province in a warm-up match. How did that team do? It won the World Cup.
Again, in 1999, the team was not expected to do well. After a superb Tri-Nations campaign in 1998, in which they won the competition for the first time with four wins from four Tests, the Boks had taken a turn for the worse, losing by record margins to New Zealand and Australia away from home, scoring only six points whilst conceding 60.
The forecasts for the World
Cup were gloomy to say the least. Yet South Africa turned it around in the tournament, winning their pool games easily before thumping England 44-21 in a memorable victory in Paris in which flyhald Jannie de Beer kicked a world record five drop goals, all in the second half.
Van der Westhuizen and co then came up just short against Australia before handing New Zealand a 22-18 loss in the playoff for third and fourth. Only three months earlier, the same All Blacks had crushed South Africa 28-nil and 34-18.
Beating the odds
Back in 1995, when the Springboks went all the way to glory in their first World Cup, there were few who thought they could beat the All Blacks. In 1994 the New Zealanders had won two and drawn one Test against South Africa. Then, in the World Cup, the All Blacks got on a roll, running up one big win after another, beating Ireland 43-19, Wales 34-9, Japan 145-17, Scotland 48-30 and England 45-29 as Jonah Lomu became a
household name.
In the five matches leading up to the World Cup final, New Zealand ran in 41 tries. Even without 21 tries against Japan, they still averaged five tries a game. It appeared there was no way they could be stopped. South Africa found a way, keeping Sean Fitzpatrick's free-running side from scoring a try as they took the final 15-12.
Admittedly, the Springboks have not enjoyed great results in the past two years. They've won only half of the 18 Tests they have played, including record defeats to New Zealand, England, France and Scotland.
But an animal is most dangerous when it's down. Take a look at the Boks' last outing, against New Zealand in Carisbrook, a graveyard for visiting teams.
South Africa had suffered a 20-point loss to Australia in a Test played the previous weekend. Earlier in the Tri-Nations competition, facing New Zealand at Loftus Versfeld - where they had lost only once in seven Tests since 1996 - the Boks were humiliated,
losing by a record margin of 16-52.
Now they faced the same All Blacks, fresh from beating Australia 50-21 in Brisbane, on a ground where New Zealand had 27 Tests wins, only three defeats and one draw. Far from a slaughter, it proved a tough battle for the All Blacks, who came away with a 19-11 victory. Both teams scored one try, and were it not for an off day with the boot for flyhalf Louis Koen, the scoreline could have been even closer.
It's been a tough year for the Boks, and many say they will fail in Australia in October and November. But it is not in the South African psyche to accept such statements; it is certainly in the South African rugby psyche to answer such statements on the field of play.
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