OPINION: Is there space to bring back three-Test series for the Boks?

It all seems a bit anticlimactic after the Springboks and Ireland were forced to share their Incoming Series 1-1, after two thrilling games saw the top two ranked sides in World Rugby come out with a win-a-piece.

It wasn’t like nobody saw this coming, as the fixtures were announced late last year and we already knew that the traditional three-game incoming tour would be shortened to two games to accommodate a match against a tier two nation as the third.

However, it was only after this last week’s clash in Durban, where Ireland stole a series levelling win from the jaws of defeat with a drop goal on the fulltime hooter, that people fully realised how much they wanted a third Test.

If either the Boks or Ireland had won the series two-nil it is likely that no one would have minded not having a third Test, but instead we are all left wanting more as a drawn series makes it seem like there is unfinished business.

Especially between the Boks and Ireland, who have developed a massive rivalry in recent years, and with the Irish having been the Boks’ bogey team in recent times, while debate will continue to rage over which team is currently the best in world rugby.

Growing the game

The game against a tier-two nation, in this case Portugal in Bloemfontein, is vitally important in growing the game and giving the lower-ranked teams a chance of improving by playing against better opposition.

But it has to be asked, is there not a way to have it all?

Could Portugal not have come on tour to South Africa and played the South African A team (which is essentially what the team for this weekend’s game will be) in a three Test series, although maybe World Rugby wants them to play against the Springbok brand.

In that case, could we not still have held a three-match series against Ireland, and then played Portugal in a fourth game, especially considering huge changes were always going to be made for the match.

Whatever the case, it is really disappointing that we won’t get a decider between the Boks and Ireland, and since they won’t play each other on this year’s end-of-year-tour, the next time they can possibly meet will only be on next year’s end-of-year-tour.