The odds are that both sides could win

Most people have heard the cliché “what are the odds” being used numerous times. In rugby terms, however, it takes on a wide range of meanings which do not refer to betting odds.

This week I heard that the “odds” of the Springboks winning next year’s World Cup should not be completely discounted.

The argument has been made that history has shown there is a 12-year gap between the Boks winning World Cups, with the examples of 1995 and 2007 being used as the example.

And next year it will again be 12 years since the Boks last lifted the cup in France in 2007, when John Smit’s team beat England 15-6.

But those naysayers between us will suggest the odds of that happening is not very big, with New Zealand dominating the world scene, winning the last two World Cups in 2011 and 2015.

However, the Boks’ courageous recent win in Wellington and the narrow two-point loss at Loftus Versfeld in the Rugby Championship have brought a lot of belief that the national team could again challenge New Zealand for world supremacy.

But the Boks have to show they can grow even more from those results and take it a step further against England at Twickenham tomorrow, with the hosts aiming for revenge after the Boks won their Test series 2-1 in June.

The Boks have also struggled the last few years in the hostile northern hemisphere conditions where the fields are slower and often wet, and where slippery underfoot conditions make tactical kicking a whole new ball-game. But back to the odds theory. Last weekend when the Sharks defied the form book by surprising Western Province at Newlands, they also did that against all odds, winning their fourth title since 2008.

The odds of the away team winning a final between these two coastal rivals was also high because it was the fourth straight final between the two sides that the home team had lost.

Damian Willemse and Sbu Nkosi were the only players who featured in the Currie Cup final who will appear for the Boks tomorrow, so fatigue shouldn’t be a problem for the Boks, but match sharpness could play a role with South Africa having last been in action on October 6.

England, on the other hand, are in the middle of their season and could have an edge in this regard.

What are the odds then of the Boks winning tomorrow?

Hopefully big enough.