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How Springboks’ World Cup success has raised the bar for Blitzboks
When Springboks captain Siya Kolisi lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in triumph for the second time at as many Rugby World Cups, rugby-mad South Africa rejoiced as one.
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For a country with a history of division, disruption and discrimination, the Springboks’ success at rugby’s showpiece event has become a vessel for unity within the Rainbow Nation.
President Nelson Mandela famously presented captain Francois Pienaar with the World Cup trophy at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park in 1995 – it might be the most iconic moment in rugby’s esteemed history.
Springboks fans had to wait a while for another World Cup title, but captain John Smit and the rest of the 2007 champion squad can rightfully take their place among the legends of rugby union.
But there’s something unique about the current crop of world champions. South Africa became the second nation to go back-to-back when captain Kolisi led the Springboks to World Cup glory in October.
Fans fortunate enough to be at Stade de France on that fateful Parisian night witnessed history, but the magnitude of the achievement became apparent when the Springboks returned home.
Thousands mobbed the streets in various cities around the nation as they joined in on the World Cup celebrations along with their rugby heroes. The Springboks are more than just rugby players.
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The Springboks’ transformative success has raised the bar for other athletes who aim to represent the nation on the rugby field with honour, pride and humility – and they know it.
After helping the Blitzboks win the Dubai SVNS for the eighth time in 10 tournaments, Sevens great Rosko Specman explained how the Springboks’ success is motivating the team on the new-look SVNS Series.
“It is very special. It’s a great turnaround for the guys because last season we weren’t on par, there were a lot of youngsters and you could see the youngsters have improved,” Rosko told RugbyPass on the field at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium.
“The guys are sticking to the system now and they work for each other, as you saw today, when the guys break the line the guys are chasing. They’re working for one and not as individuals.
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“It’s something happening now in the team.
“As you saw this year, the Springboks won the World Cup back-to-back and that is the drive that we have now. We also want to be number one in the world again.”
With probably the most supporters out of any team in Dubai behind them, South Africa took the field last weekend with a bit of a point to prove.
The Blitzboks had beaten Ireland in the Cup final a year earlier, and with that comes pressure – but the sense of belief and almost the expectation of success was far more desperate after last season.
South Africa stalled during the rest of the 2022/23 season as they fell to an uncharacteristically poor seventh-placed finish on the circuit. Up until this point, they still haven’t qualified for the Olympics either.
But nothing else mattered to this team last weekend other than the Dubai SVNS. It presented the Blitzboks with an opportunity to redeem themselves on the world stage, and they made the most of it.
“We know if we stick to our structure that we can be there on top of the world because we were there before, it’s just hard to get back there again,” Specman added.
“The results are there but you know what’s the nicest thing? Next week we must start all over again and try to be on top again.
“It’s never an easy task for this team and we try to make sure we fight every day because next week, if we don’t pitch up, we cannot play finals and that’s our home tournament.
“Tonight we will enjoy this time and when we get on the plane we’ll just go back to zero, start all over again, and fight again because now we’re playing in front of our home crowd.
“It’s a lot of pressure and this team can get energy from pressure.”
Following a five-year stint in 15s, Rosko Specman returned to the SVNS Series last weekend in what proved to be a major boost to a talented side with plenty to prove.
Specman, 34, won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and has also played a Test match for the Springboks. That’s experience that can’t be bought.
The SVNS great seemed to fit back into the Blitzboks’ squad with relative ease during the Dubai SVNS, and Specman will undoubtedly continue to play a big role ahead of the Cape Town leg.
“It’s really great to be back, the guys welcomed me back with open arms,” he said.
“For some of the guys I’m almost 15 years older than them so I think that has also given me the drive to give my everything every day on the training field.
“You don’t have a guarantee in this team and that’s the fighting spirit that I have. While me knees are still strong I will keep going.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
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