There were plenty of headlines proclaiming that Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus had announced a "strong" group for the Rugby World Cup. Well, you didn't expect him to select a weak touring party, did you?
That said, though, there are more than a few South African rugby fans wondering if maybe – just maybe – this might be the Springboks' year. There would be an interesting symmetry, if nothing else, were the Boks to bring home the Webb Ellis Cup.
Kitch Christie's boys won it for the first time in 1995 in a game to end all games. Twelve years later, in 2007, captain John Smit and his team did the same. Now it is 2019, 12 years after their last triumph…
Superstition aside, though, there are certainly similarities between the 1995 heroes and this year's Springbok squad. With all due respect to all in this year's World Cup group, there are no superstars among their ranks, as was the case in 1995.
The one thing you can say about the 1995 team was that their whole was certainly bigger than the sum of their parts, even discounting their huge home ground advantage.
The 2019 vintage look the same: together, on the field, they are better than one might expect them to be, on paper at least.
That's testament to the long-term planning of Erasmus, as well as the team's total commitment to each other.
And in this World Cup – probably the most open one yet, with any one of a number of teams in with a good chance – that could make the difference.
Apart from anything else we, as a country and as citizens battered by crime, corruption and economic collapse, need some good news. And, just as in 1995, it could come from the green and gold…
But what are the Springboks strong points heading to Japan? Get the September issue of Trendnation digital. Get your copy now on PressReader.
