The year the Boks lost to Japan, and fans said farewell to Lomu
THE 2015 rugby season was one that started with the promise of World Cup glory but ended with Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer resigning in ignominy after a tortuous year.
The Springboks endured a torrid season, which included their first-ever loss to Argentina and a shock loss to Japan, also a first, at Rugby World Cup 2015.
In all, the Boks lost five of their 11 matches in 2015, an unacceptable return after three years of building towards the World Cup. In terms of transformation, too, the Boks fell short with only eight black players making it into the 31-man World Cup squad.
Meyer, a passionate and decent man, had little option but to bow out when the dust settled on a terrible season that will go down as one of the worst in Bok history. The Boks lost two matches at RWC 2015, their joint worst return in terms of losses at a single tournament, even though the campaign ended with a third-place finish at the World Cup.
But at other levels too, South African rugby struggled.
Super Rugby could only be described as a sporting disaster. The Stormers were South Africa’s sole representatives in the play-offs. And that was only because of the conference system, which guaranteed at least one team from each of the participating unions a place in the post-season. Had the play-offs been decided on points accumulated, the Stormers would have finished seventh on the overall standings.
The Blitzboks failed to capitalise on winning the first two tournaments of the 2014/15 HSBC World Sevens Series and ended second to Fiji on the overall standings by the end of the season. But they did secure one of the four automatic qualification places for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. So there was a silver lining.
The Junior Springboks laboured at the Junior World Championships in Italy, eventually losing to England in the semifinals.
The 2015 Currie Cup was a watered-down version, as it was LUNGE: Damian de Allende against Brumbie David Pocock a World Cup year. A Super Rugby-strength Golden Lions proved too powerful against teams that were barely above Vodacom Cup strength. The Lions went through the campaign undefeated and deservedly took the title. But underlining the weakness of the tournament GENTLE GIANT: New Zealand’s Jonah Lomu lost his last battle was the fact that the Free State Cheetahs made the semifinals after winning only three of their 10 group matches.
Off the field matters were not much better. Most worrying is the state of rugby in the Eastern Cape. Under the presidency of Cheeky Watson, the Eastern Province Rugby Union is now bankrupt, with players’ salaries regularly going unpaid in the latter part of the year.
The Southern Kings franchise, which is due to take part in an expanded Super Rugby tournament in 2016, had no coach and players until early December. Only when the South African Rugby Union stepped in to take over the running of the franchise did it grind forward. Saru appointed former SA under-20 assistant coach Deon Davids as head coach of the team and it contracted 20 players. Saru’s rugby department, under Rassie Erasmus, will be heavily involved in coaching, but it is unlikely to stave off a series of embarrassing results for the team next season.
As painful as it is for South Africa, Japan’s 34-32 victory over the Springboks in Brighton was sensational for RWC 2015 and for rugby in general. Karne Hesketh’s injury time winning try set the tournament alight and ensured that unless the Boks went on to win, Meyer’s days were numbered. It also catapulted rugby to a wider audience in an instant. More than 25 million Japanese tuned in for subsequent matches. The Boks bludgeoned their way to the RWC semifinals after the Japan debacle but inevitably came up short against old foes New Zealand. They were distinctly second best for most of the match, but their spirit could not be questioned as they lost 20-18 to a side that was generally 20 points better than the next best.
Aside from Japan’s heroics against South Africa, the Highlanders’ brilliant 21-14 win over the Hurricanes in the final in Wellington was a triumph for a team of blue-collar workers over their more sophisticated opponents. Having had to beat the Chiefs and the Waratahs in the playoffs made it all the sweeter.
Centre Damian de Allende was terrific during Super Rugby for the Stormers and he seamlessly carried that form into the test arena. He was a constant threat with the ball in hand and regularly beat defenders with ease. The Boks could build an entire game plan around his ability. All Black flyhalf Daniel Carter saved his best for when it mattered most. In the latter stages of the World Cup, Carter delivered one knockout out blow after another, including brilliant drop-goals in the semifinal against the Boks and the final against Australia. Both punctured the opponents’ self-belief at critical times. Under huge pressure, Carter’s sense of timing was immaculate.
Two All Black greats, Jerry Collins and Jonah Lomu, died this year, as did Bok legend John Gainsford. Collins and his partner died in a car crash in France, Lomu died from complications from a kidney disorder and Gainsford succumbed to cancer. 15 Ben Smith, 14 Adam AshleyCooper, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 David Pocock, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Sam Warburton, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Augustin Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza.