Makazole Mapimpi of the Springboks in action against Australia in 2019's Rugby Championship. The Springboks didn't play in the competition last year and this year's competition is now in doubt because of Covid-19. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images
Everything, it seems, is stacked against the Springboks.
They’ve played one Test since winning the World Cup in November, 2019 against Georgia, who can hardly be considered a challenge.
Almost half the team have been struck down by Covid-19 in the past two weeks.
And, in the latest setback, the entire series will now be played in Cape Town, robbing the Springboks of playing the second and third Test matches at altitude where they would normally have an advantage over visiting teams.
The Boks are on the back foot going into the threeTest series with the British & Irish Lions, starting today.
And, sadly, there won’t even be any fans in the stadium to cheer on the heroes of the 2019 Rugby World Cup triumph.
Yet, the Boks will start with as good a chance as the Lions of winning the series.
The mere fact the Lions tour has gone ahead and that we now only have the three Tests left is a minor miracle in itself and, for that, South African rugby fans should be very happy.
There’s something about the backs-to-the-wall situation right now that Siya Kolisi and company might just pull of something very special as they did in Japan.
Here’s to us being behind the Boks all the way.
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