Springboks back on All-Blacks’ track

NOW we know for certain: the Springboks are well on their way to restoring the famous rivalry with the All Blacks.

Yes, bitter disappointment was written all over the faces of the Boks after their narrow 30-32 loss at Loftus.

But the Boks can hold their heads up high, because they played their full part in a fantastic game of rugby.

A jam-packed Loftus provided the perfect backdrop to a Test match that delivered in every possible way.

It was a South Africa-New Zealand classic in every sense of the word, and the heartbreak that the All Blacks’ last-minute try brought could be seen everywhere – in the stands and on the field, where some of the Boks, who gave absolutely everything, dropped their heads in disappointment, while others just looked on blankly as the Kiwis bagged a victory in a match that most pundits would agree the Boks should have won.

You just had to look at New Zealand’s post-match celebrations to see just how much that win meant to them as well.

While the Springboks should have made use of the chances they had in the first half, the fact that they had the world’s best team under the pump for the greater part of the game trumps any regret that comes with those missed opportunities.

Fair enough, the All Blacks deserve credit for their tremendous fightback.

With nine minutes left, they were still 30-18 down, yet they reached deep to find some resolve and courage to score two superb tries and stun the Loftus crowd into silence.

On paper, the match was a dead rubber.

But in reality, it was much more than that.

It was a battle that both sides went into with a point to prove. And even though it wasn’t the desired result, the Springboks proved that they are a team on the rise.

From Handre Pollard’s brilliant place-kicking to captain Siya Kolisi’s barnstorming surges through the All Blacks defence, this was a Bok performance to savour.

We look forward to seeing more of the same on the end-of-year tour to Europe, and of course, next year is World Cup year…