Call me harsh, call me a naysayer, call me dramatic, or you can perhaps label me as too passionate, but the fact of the matter is, the Springboks’ 30-32 defeat to the All Blacks at Loftus was unacceptable.
Yes, no lead is ever safe against the world champion All Blacks, regardless of the location but especially when they’re in New Zealand where it’s almost impossible to win.
But even if it was in New Zealand where the Boks threw away a 17-point lead as they did at Loftus, it simply shouldn’t have happened.
These are the Springboks, not some average rugby nation.
I’m not going to delve into the reasons why it happened, but it’s hard to disagree with one New Zealand scribe who, and I’m paraphrasing, labelled it as a spectacular choke job by South Africa.
It’s easy to say that despite the loss, there have been more positives than negatives for the Green and Gold in this year’s Rugby Championship.
The two powerhouses ‘drawing’ 66-all on the scoreboard over the two matches they played, including the memorable 36-34 Bok win in Wellington.
It was more of a case of the Boks losing it than the All Blacks winning it.
And with both teams in Pool B in next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, the psychological blow dealt to Rassie Erasmus’ troops could spill over into the game’s biggest prize.
The loss also, in many ways, undid the Boks’ brilliant display of defence in that Wellington humdinger where they made a startling 226 tackles.
It was indeed defensive frailties and technical mishaps from Erasmus that had a big contribution to the Loftus heartbreaker.
Adding to this writer’s frustration about the loss is that unlike the Wellington reverse, the Boks, a bit surprising, actually made Steve Henson’s men look average as the home side bossed the possession, territory and scoreboard stats, until the last seconds.
They did everything right except win – obviously.
This year’s Bok-All Black clashes reminded me a lot of the 2004 season when the tournament was named the Tri-Nations, including Australia, where the Springboks were the better team between the two rivals.
After leading 21-12 at half-time in Christchurch, the Green and Gold’s loss of composure and ill-discipline allowed the All Blacks to eat into the lead and eventually win it 23-21 at the death.
The Boks outscored their old foe three tries to one on that occasion with star backline trio Fourie du Preez, Jean de Villiers and Jacque Fourie crossing the try line.
Flying wing Doug Howlett scored the solo try for the home side.
But Jake White’s men validated their dominance in the return leg at Ellis Park, also known as the home of SA rugby, with a beyond satisfying, historic 40-26 win capped by a Marius Joubert hat-trick.
That Bok generation proved that the Christchurch agonising loss was a mere stutter as they went on to win the tournament and the World Cup three years later.
I’d love to, therefore, hope the Loftus loss was an omen of what’s to follow from the mighty Boks. – @SabeloBoksburg
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