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LONG READ 'With near-religious conviction, how good does it feel to be a Bok fan?'

'With near-religious conviction, how good does it feel to be a Bok fan?'
3 weeks ago

On the eve of South Africa’s 18-12 win over New Zealand in Cape Town, Scotty Stevenson was heaping praise on Rassie Erasmus. Speaking on SENZ Radio, the broadcaster, writer and passionate All Blacks supporter called Erasmus “colourful, innovative, imaginative.”

“What he’s been most clever in doing is giving his Test match bench an identity,” Stevenson added, stating Erasmus has created a sense of “purpose” for South Africa’s so-called Bomb Squad and a “personality that suggests to them they are the difference makers in the game. That is an insanely clever piece of man management from Rasssie Erasmus.”

Springboks
Rassie Erasmus has orchestrated a phenomenal period for South African rugby (Photo by Justin Setterfield – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

This was some turnaround from Stevenson who, only the week before, compared Erasmus to Star Wars’ Jabba the Hutt and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen from 1984 movie Dune. But even more surprising than this about-face was what came next.

“Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, our attitude to Test rugby is who is going to start,” Stevenson, now in full flow, continued. “Who is going to be in jerseys one to 15. I think we need to change our mindset around Test match rugby, accept it is a matchday 23, accept players can have just as much impact for 20, 25 or 30 minutes as players can have for 60 or 80. That is the turnaround I want to see from the All Blacks these next few months and leading into the November tour.”

Do you remember the ignominy of Kamp Staaldraad, the persistent nagging doubt that meant even the most passionate among us knew, deep in our marrow, the Boks were not the preeminent outfit on the planet?

Hold the phone. Did a Kiwi really suggest that the mighty All Blacks could learn a thing or two from the Springboks? Did he really position burly meat-eating Saffas at the cutting edge of rugby philosophy while their New Zealand counterparts scramble just to get a feel of their coattails? Is this clear proof rugby’s power structure has well and truly changed?
Of course, one pundit’s opinion can’t shift tectonic plates on their own, but Stevenson’s view is a staggering one for South African rugby fans with memories that go further back than 2019.

Do you remember the 57-0 drubbing by the All Blacks in 2017 which was the fifth defeat in a run of six straight losses in the rivalry? Do you remember when the Springboks were ranked seventh in the world and were leaders in nothing? Do you remember the ignominy of Kamp Staaldraad, the persistent nagging doubt that meant even the most passionate among us knew, deep in our marrow, the Boks were not the preeminent outfit on the planet?

Siya Kolisi South AfricaThe iconic Siya Kolisi skippered South Africa to back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs (Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images)

Oh sure, there were good times. Between 2007 and 2009 the class of Matfield, Habana, Burger and Du Preez were unquestionably the most complete team and deserved their titles. But this was less a dynasty and more of a golden generation. Before then there were Tri Nations victories to celebrate in 2004 and 1998. But again these were blips rather than changes in fortune. If you were a Springboks fan before 2019, and recall even further back to the dawn of the professional age in 1995, then you’ll know most of this timeline is littered with feelings of inadequacy and circumspection

These past two triumphs over the All Blacks prove the case. In the first Test at Ellis Park, where the haka was met with chest thumping noise rather than reverential silence, New Zealand held a deserved 10-point lead with little more than 10 minutes to play. For most of my life this would have meant one thing and one thing only: a win for the All Blacks.

New Zealand had never lost four games in a row against any other country. This should feel seismic. That it doesn’t, and simply feels correct, is an astonishing turn.

But the past is a foreign country and even before Ofa Tu’ungafasi was yellow-carded a different outcome loomed over the horizon. After Kwagga Smith and Grant Williams scored their tries to secure the comeback, the overwhelming sensation was relief. Not because it felt as if the Springboks got away with one but rather because their victory confirmed the new status quo.

The second Test a week later followed a similar pattern. New Zealand held the early advantage and should have been further ahead by the time Malcolm Marx entered the scene in the second half. Once that man mountain from Germiston joined the party momentum swung in his team’s favour. Another come-from-behind victory felt just as inevitable as the first.

What’s behind this change? New Zealand had never lost four games in a row against any other country. This should feel seismic. That it doesn’t, and simply feels correct, is an astonishing turn. In his recent RugbyPass column, former Springboks coach Jake White called the All Blacks “naive” and there’s no doubt their powers have faded. A diluted Super Rugby, a new coach finding his feet and the team’s inability to select foreign-based players have all been cited as reasons for their decline. But that only half explains what’s going on here.

Springboks All Blacks
South Africa twice came from behind to sink New Zealand and move closer to the Rugby Championship title (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP) (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images)

Erasmus has created an environment bursting with belief. His players have an almost religious devotion to the cause and are utterly convinced of his leadership. When new players join the team, they too play without hesitancy or confusion. Even when it doesn’t work, as was the case when Ben-Jason Dixon cost his team two tries in the first New Zealand Test, both the individual and the collective are able to roll with the punches and rebrand mistakes as lessons. That unwavering confidence is conveyed in the way the players and coaches engage with the press and public. In the eyes of South African fans they’ve become humble gods. With absolute conviction in what they’re doing and why they’re doing it, is it any wonder they can face down the All Blacks and be wholly certain the game will go their way?

More pragmatic rugby reasons are likely just as important. That bench, their core of senior players and the depth of talent have all played their part. But faith, abstract though it may be, has a power of its own and should not be discounted. And though this won’t last forever, and one day Kolisi will hang up his boots and Erasmus will lose his edge, let us savour what we have now, with belief there’s still more to come.

Comments

61 Comments
s
sb 17 hours ago

South Africa is juiuuuust about to fall off. In 2 years they will be 4th-5th in the world

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SJ 20 days ago

Mmm, reading these comments, seems like some people around the world hate SA so much, that we cant even be happy to be a Springbok supporter? That we somehow have a Lions series win, 2 consecutive world cups, tge Freedom cup, beaten the All blacks more consecutive times than ever in Rugby history (No one else has beaten the all blacks that many times in a row, and we somehow did it by luck. And that if we do celebrate our rugby team, and are happy to be a fan at the moment, makes us deservent of insults???? Every team gets their turn, can we not just enjoy things going well? So what if you feel france and Ireland are better, we are just celebrating the trophies in our cabinet, that our apparent, extremely poor team has managed to win by luck. Maybe your team should try being as bad as the Springboks, then maybe there would be a world cup trophy in your cabinet as well.🤔

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MF 20 days ago

The article paraphrases Zachariah 8:16-23, consciously or otherwise. Suggesting religious fervour to "Rassianity", takes adoration to to new heights. The depredations within SA society over decades has stripped so many of a national belief system that supporters have themselves grasped the emblem as a subsitute to the "godless" identity, and failed statism SA has become chasing fetid causes.

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Hellhound 18 days ago

Spectacular fail at whatever point you were trying to make. The Boks currently is unbeatable, using 2 different teams, 3 different times during this RC. How many teams can claim that? Now because nothing the haters say matters as everyone sees their willful hate speech for what it is, you try to pop in the political scene of SA as some reason that makes no sense at all. The political situation in SA is highly volatile, the country's crime rate is through the roof and it's not a safe country, no matter how beautiful it is. Which just makes what the SPRINGBOKS did, and is still doing that much more AMAZING. For such a broken country to bring forth such talent and for such racist people (just not true) to work together to go back to back WC champs, nevermind all the other current achievements, they seem to be united in passion and love for the sport that no other country possess. Who are you to try and minimise what other people go through? To make lite of our hardships? Our struggles? What a small excuse of a cockroach you are. You should be ashamed

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Muti 20 days ago

Paraphrase jou gat bliksim

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Bull Shark 20 days ago

🧌

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Teddy 21 days ago

Love the syringe boks. Responded well to getting bate in their own yard by the Irish.


Great run of form. And all of it without a single world class player. Proper team effort.

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DA 19 days ago

get a life you drunken mud water gulping pr;k

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Petrus78 20 days ago

Funny how the Irish are always on their best form when it doesn't matter......I would much rather win only 1/4 against Ireland.....while winning two world cups and a British and IRISH Lions series since 2019......BOOM!!!

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Tembani 20 days ago

Marx, Pieter Steph du Toit, Kolbe, Etzebeth, Kriel, Kwagga and even De Allende...those are all world class players in at least one position. You can debate Kwagga if you're foolish enough to argue about someone who has, consistently, almost single handedly turned tables on almost every leading rugby nation: the All Blacks are his chronic victim, the French still wake up midnight from Kwagga nightmares, England etc. He's pick pocketed so many world class players that if he himself isn't world class, it discredits the whole concept. The Boks still have a lot to work on, and even as a die hard fan, they still upset me on many games. For example, we clearly need to sharpen our structure around the breakdown because the lack of structure allows quality opponents like the All Blacks, France, Ireland and England to starve us of quality ball, which undermines our opportunities on attack. Nevertheless, Rassie has done so much positive work with this team and the hope is that this too can be addressed sooner rather than later 😊

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JD 20 days ago

First class, gold plated, export quality bullshit. Bait. Incitement. Trolling.

Kolbe is the greatest player on earth. Etsebeth, Pieter-Stef, etc etc all world class.

When you've won a 1/4 final, come back and we might listen to you.

C
CR 20 days ago

You win kak useless comment of the week.

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Wayneo 20 days ago

Half decent opposition tends to have that effect on us 😉

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Ninjin 20 days ago

4 World Cups🥳 vs the chokers🤔

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Bull Shark 20 days ago

🧌

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JH 21 days ago

This is the best Bok side since Habana, De Villiers, Du Preez, Matfield, Burger etc. Is it better? Debatable, but it currently has great trophies in the cabinet: RWC, Freedom Cup, Mandela Cup, B&I Lions, and possibly the RC on the way.

Does it compare to the great Kiwi sides - probably not as dominant and far fewer RCs. The next two years might prove the difference, to close the gap. The All Blacks have generally been better than us for so long, so it’s just nice to enjoy the moment.

As for Ireland, they’re a bogey side for us, the same as the French were a bogey side for NZ. But, they’ve never won a RWC, and in the last 6N, they lost to England and were lucky to beat Scotland. Any one of NZ, France, Ireland, and SA could beat each other on the day (yellow cards could be the difference) - but, we somehow manage to grind out wins. I’m just happy to be where we are and hope that the journey continues! If we lose to Argentina with the experimental team, then we’ll move to No.2 in the rankings, but I don’t care - as long as we win the return leg.

(We still fear NZ the most!)

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JD 20 days ago

Fear, no. Respect, definitely.

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JW 21 days ago

It's amazing times to be a Boks fan! The stress and elation of those three 1 point wins, hard to describe the joy of watching them lift the trophy from the most stacked world cup run ever.


People are obsessed with greatest ever tags these days, I don't care, just enjoying the ride.

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DC000 21 days ago

They have to be pleased as the third best team in the world after Ireland and France.


I'd be frustrated if I was a Bok fan that they clearly need to rely on the incompetence of the refs to win matches they clearly don't deserve to win.


Otherwise, they lack basic skills at even a base level and play terrible rugby.

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DA 19 days ago

how many world cups do you have in your cabinet. Get a life you pr;ck

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JD 20 days ago

And yet we win and you lose......despite your persistent need to recruit mercenaries who are about as Irish as I am Chinese.

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Flankly 21 days ago

Excellent - a stupidity contest. It's always fun. The contestants don't understand why everyone else is laughing.

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JW 21 days ago

Try win a world cup knockout game, nearly 40 years lol

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JK 21 days ago

I think ppl would be more chuffed if the bok performances were more clinical. From a distance I see this year as a fairly brutal campaign (RSA/IRL) and the Rugby Championships. The boks have bloodied and tested a fair few ppl but we've also had a lot of injuries. I'd expect the Argies to test in the forwards especially if the weather gets nasty.


Well done to the boks - heal up

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fl 21 days ago

"New Zealand had never lost four games in a row against any other country. This should feel seismic. That it doesn’t, and simply feels correct, is an astonishing turn"


I think its important to bear in mind that none of the last four games between NZ and SA have been in NZ.


2 of them have been on neutral ground, so South Africa are definitely the better team at the moment, but I think it isn't an especially seismic shift. SA's winning run is only 4 games, and they lost to Ireland this year at home, so they're a long way off what New Zealand achieved from 2015-2017, when they beat SA 6 times in a row (including 3 away wins) winning 18 consecutive games against all opponents between 2015 and 2016.


What we are witnessing is (i) an extremely good SA side - the best since the 1990s, and (ii) the long-term decline of southern hemisphere rugby.


Etzebeth was wrong to announce that they are the best team in the world, and they will face much stiffer tests this autumn.

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Bull Shark 21 days ago

Didnt NZ lose 6 in a row against the wallabies?

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DP 21 days ago

I would like to park talk of the 2027 WC until 2026 comes round. I'm happy to focus on the amazing test series with NZ next year, that's proper stuff coming our way.. hoping we can bank this RC and beat England on the EOYT and then I'll be thrilled. Next year I'd like to see Hannekom, Gumede and Henco Van Wyk blooded into the squad..

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Bull Shark 21 days ago

In 2019 I called it and said the boks would win the World Cup in Japan. Around the time when Rassie pulled off the 1st split squad and I thought - “Hello, this is interesting!”


So I’ve been feeling good about the boks for a while now. The tough part has been beating the naysayers down with my superfan optimism.


But seriously folks.


I remember when Schumacher was the best F1 driver and Ferrari were dominating. Or when the Aussies dominated cricket like gods. Or Mike Tyson was a phenom in the ring. This is one of those times in sports history that’s here to enjoy. If you’re a Bok fan.


You kiwis know what I’m talking about. And even the Irish that still think they’re team’s no.1 (shame).


I believe this is the best Bok team I’ve ever seen and might never happen again! Take it in.

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Teddy 20 days ago

Yet... In that hyper dominant period from 2019 to now.


SA are 1/4 against IRE. The same IRE where rugby is the 4th most popular sport on the island.


Back to bed, dick head.

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CL 21 days ago

(Shame) lol!😂 ... just fit in perfectly in your sentence. Only us Saffers fully understand in context what the word shame means.

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fl 21 days ago

If Ireland are so rubbish, why is it so hard to beat them?


SA are the best team in the world right now. If England were anywhere near as good as South Africa I'd be celebrating too, don't get me wrong. But SA aren't dominating to the same degree as Ferrari dominated F1, or Tyson dominated boxing, or Australia dominated cricket. They've won two games, at home, against the world's third best side.


They're doing better than I thought they would. I was wrong. But I am not your opp, Andy Farrell is. Beating down the naysayers gets you nowhere when you can't put to bed a rivalry with a team that has never even made a semi-final.

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RW 21 days ago

This from the same platform that pays Ben Smith.

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Forward pass 20 days ago

And same platform that pays Nick Bishop. All useless with agenda's.

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DP 21 days ago

This article SIGNED OFF by Ben Smith (chief editor)

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