Springboks come-from-behind win was special

Saturday turned into a good day – and today still feels fantastic.

That’s all thanks to the Springboks who beat the All Blacks in an epic encounter in the final Rugby Championship Test on neutral ground on the Gold Coast in Australia around lunchtime on Saturday.

For so many sporting fans in South Africa – and there are many – happiness is dependent on what our national teams do on the sports fields around the world and the Boks especially have a huge role to play in this matter.

It’s tough being a Bok supporter.

The margins between winning and losing at the top level are tiny – as we’ve seen in the last few weeks.

On Saturday the result went the Boks’ way, but it could just as easily have been a fourth straight defeat. That’s how close it is at the very top.

The fact the Boks produced their best performance of the last few months on Saturday is remarkable.

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They were written off by many, their game plan criticised, players questioned and unwanted records stared the team in the face.

They were under huge pressure going into the match and at one stage it looked as if they were losing the little battles.

But they fought back to clinch it at the death – a sign of fight and true character.

We forget the Boks didn’t play a Test in 2020 because of Covid, we forget they have been in a bio-secure bubble since late May and yet they have beaten the British and Irish Lions, with no fans in the stands, and they have pushed Australia and New Zealand all the way on foreign soil.

Bravo Jacques Nienaber and his coaching team, captain fantastic Siya Kolisi, and every other Bok player.

You have done us proud in recent months. You are back at No 1 in the world and silenced the naysayers.

You have shown you are worthy world champions. Saturday’s come-from-behind win was special.

The players needed it – and rugby fans needed it. Thank you.