Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Watch: The incredible comeback victory that foreshadowed the Springboks' World Cup success

By Online Editors
South Africa and England players square up in the second Test

In 2019, South Africa entered the World Cup final as underdogs. No team had ever won a final after already losing a match in the pool stages of the competition and the Springboks had suffered defeat at the hand of the All Blacks in their opening fixture. There was also the small fact that England’s form over the last six months had been simply more impressive.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Springboks, however, had honed their trade at winning matches they had no business winning and promptly unravelled England to be crowned world champions.

You only have to look back to part-way through the prior year to see that South Africa had England’s number and even when things looked grim, they were going to let their English rivals come out on top.

Video Spacer

Freddie and Billy Burns join host Jim Hamilton in the pilot episode of ‘Cabin Fever Quiz’.

Video Spacer

Freddie and Billy Burns join host Jim Hamilton in the pilot episode of ‘Cabin Fever Quiz’.

England travelled to South Africa for a three-match tour in June 2018 with expectations low. Eddie Jones’ men were sitting on a three-match losing streak, having been bested by France and Ireland at the tail-end of the Six Nations and then battered by the Barbarians, 63-45.

A tour to the Republic isn’t easy even at the best of times but on the back of their current form, England were staring down the barrel of a whitewash.

History was also not on England’s side.

England fans’ confidence wasn’t helped by the fact that Eddie Jones named Mike Brown to start on the wing with Elliot Daly preferred at fullback in the first Test of the series.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sir Clive Woodward wasn’t especially happy with the selection either, writing “At Ellis Park, with the home crowd baying and a few ‘bombs’ coming down from the stratosphere, I would be more than happy to see him at fullback.”

“But that’s it. For me he’s a 15 or he doesn’t play. I have seen nothing from him to suggest he can operate at the top level on the wing.”

It wasn’t Brown’s first start on the wing – but his previous runs in the 11 jersey hadn’t been roaring successes, like in the big loss to the Barbarians.

In a shock twist, however, England raced out to a big lead over Siya Kolisi-captained Springboks.

Brown, Daley and Owen Farrell all touched down within the first quarter, helping the travelling side to a 24-3 lead.

ADVERTISEMENT

Quickly, hope reappeared for the English; their run of bad luck was finally turning around.

But then things turned to custard, with the Springboks mounting the biggest comeback in tier-1 rugby history.

By halftime, South Africa had clocked up four tries of their own and taken the lead back from the tourists. Two of those tries came from the debutant on the wing, S’busiso Nkosi.

The home side held on their lead for the remainder of the game, with Aphiwe Dyantyi scoring the Springboks’ only try of the second half. England managed two of their own through Maro Itoje and Johnny May but the boot of Pollard ensured that South Africa emerged victorious in the 80th minute.

The game held extra significance because Siya Kolisi took the mantel of Springboks captain for the first time in his career. It also marked the first time ever that the team had been captained by a non-white player.

Even with all the cards falling England’s way in the first half, a Springbok side spurred on by the opportunity to write their names in the record books couldn’t be stopped.

Less than two years later, the Springboks had the opportunity to make history again in Japan when they faced up against an England side thirsting for a title.

Although England entered the game as favourites, the writing was on the wall: the Springboks wouldn’t be stopped.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

41 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough' Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough'
Search