A great World Cup team, and a decent test team.
Like it or not, that’s what the Springboks are. This is of course something that pretty much any nation would be happy with. You feel the Boks should be/want more though, and this particular Rugby Championship gives them the perfect opportunity to do so.
We recently shared just how poor the Boks have been when playing in Australia. Especially in Brisbane with just one win there since readmission in the 90s.
Perhaps too much is made of such things in the lead up to games, but it is very much something that would be good to set straight with this current Bok squad. They are absolutely good enough, the Wallabies are conversely not, and with these next two matches being the only focus on this tour, they couldn’t ask for a better opportunity.
Not that ifs and buts are ever worth mentioning, but if Jordie Barrett had the most marginally of better kicking days in the Rugby World Cup final, the All Blacks were very much the World Cup winners.
Again, it’s a bit of a nothing comment, but with 14 men for a large part of the game, the All Blacks almost did it. Something they will not have forgotten, nor should the Boks.
The best way to well and truly put that behind them is to clean sweep the All Blacks in this Rugby Championship, which is the first time these teams meet again since that night in Paris. Both of these games are being played in South Africa too, so again the Boks have an incredible opportunity in making a statement against their biggest enemy.
All things going to plan above against Australia and New Zealand, the Boks then get to use those last two games home and away vs Argentina, to test their depth in big games.
Big games they will be, as they will essentially be to win the tournament. It’s one thing to give players a run against Portugal and Wales, but within higher stakes matches like this you can really get a sense for what the more untested players are about.
You simply cannot script how favourable this Rugby Championship is for the Boks when you consider the above. And Rassie being Rassie, it would be fair to think this isn’t lost on him either. A great Rugby Championship here then leads to a great deal of momentum and insights to take into the end of year tour tests away to Scotland, England and Wales.