Chris Foy At last, Boks prove that All Blacks are mortal

WHAT A turnaround for Rassie Erasmus. South Africa’s head coach went into the weekend thinking his position was under threat, but it ended in a deluge of praise and gratitude from around the world.

The Springboks did the game a favour. Their historic 36-34 victory over the All Blacks in Wellington rescued the Rugby Championship from another year of abject tedium. It also reminded every leading Test country that the mighty Kiwis are mortal.

Putting aside the four-nation alliance of the Lions, no team had beaten New Zealand, in New Zealand, since the Boks managed it back in 2009. In the nine years since, the All Blacks had won 54 Tests against all- comers. Their home rule was a remarkable feat of sporting supremacy.

No wonder South Africa flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit broke down in tears at the end. It had taken a Herculean collective effort to break the cycle. The defensive spirit demonstrated by Erasmus’s men was astonishing, allowing them to win a game that the stats suggested they should have lost, horribly.

Very few teams can prevail with just 25 per cent possession and territory, especially when a multitude of officiating decisions are going against them.

Their courage and tenacity revealed cracks in the world champions’ polished facade. Scrum-half Aaron Smith was mercilessly harried by Sale’s Faf de Klerk and was hauled off soon after half-time. Time and again, there were Kiwi handling errors. That’s what pressure does.

Beauden Barrett has a glittering repertoire of skills and tricks, but Test No10s cannot be so fragile in front of goal when every point counts. And his refusal to take charge and attempt a late drop goal suggested that old lessons have not been learned.

The All Blacks are human after all. When the heat is on, they crack, just like everyone else. On the back of this momentous occasion, the All Blacks will come to Europe in November with a trace of doubt in their minds. The next time they find themselves in a tight corner, they will face the dreaded and alien scenario of feeling vulnerable. That could occur at Twickenham. It is highly likely to occur in Dublin.

That is the Springboks’ gift to the world. They have revived hope and uncertainty and intrigue, at a time when endless Kiwi dominance had led to growing public apathy in the south. Predictability is the enemy of sport and, mercifully, it has been chased out of town.