19 December 2019, by: Quintin van Jaarsveld

Springbok Decade Series: 2014

The past decade saw the Springboks rise from record lows to ultimate triumph, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

The Springboks’ journey over the past 10 years, rising from the ashes to World Cup glory in 2019, is akin to climbing Everest. The very reputation of Springbok rugby hung in the balance after the men in Green and Gold plummeted to unprecedented lows. Record losses equalled red alert and avalanche after avalanche threatened to bury the Boks for good.

With true South African grit, however, the men in Green and Gold persevered. Problems persisted, but every time they got knocked down, they picked themselves up and dusted themselves off. Instead of waning, they grew stronger and eventually turned the corner. Emerging from the shadows, there was hope once more, the summit in sight, albeit from afar.

Hope inspired heroics, and with Rassie Erasmus and Siya Kolisi leading the way, the Springboks scaled the peak in remarkable fashion. Overcoming the odds, the class of 2019 clinched the coveted Webb Ellis Cup, planting their flag atop rugby’s Everest and breathing the rarefied air reserved for world champions.

On the doorstep of a new dawn, we take a trip down memory lane in a 10-part series chronicling the decade that was for Springbok rugby.

The 2014 season was all about building towards the World Cup in England the following year. Heyneke Meyer’s men had found their footing as a unit in their first two seasons together and were looking to push on after winning 10 of their 12 Tests in 2013.

The development of the squad itself, with a view on the global showpiece, continued, with Meyer introducing more fresh faces and welcoming back old ones, however, the results weren’t as favourable, falling from 83% to 69% with nine wins from 13 Tests.

That the Boks blew hot and cold was a fact, but in the biggest picture, the dip in form was far from a crisis. The year before a World Cup has historically been a time of turmoil for the Springboks. Meyer’s predecessors, Peter de Villiers and Jake White (who went on to win the Webb Ellis Cup) were both in the firing line for underwhelming results in 2010 and 2006 respectively. In that regard, Meyer’s report card held up quite well – it had only been bettered on four occasions in the previous 22 years.

No win in 2014 was more significant than the epic 27-25 triumph over the All Blacks at Ellis Park. New Zealand had already wrapped up the Rugby Championship title for the third year in a row going into this final clash of the competition, but that mattered little to a Springbok team determined to snap a five-match losing streak against their arch-rivals.

A 55-metre penalty by Pat Lambie in the dying moments won it for the hosts and ended the All Blacks’ 22-match unbeaten streak dating back to December 2012. The victory was an invaluable psychological boost for the Boks, who had rookies Handré Pollard – the World Rugby Under-20 Player of the Year – Cornal Hendricks, Oupa Mohoje and Cobus Reinach in their ranks. Other young stars who made their Bok debuts in 2014 were Lood de Jager, Damian de Allende and Marcel van der Merwe.

Meyer also roped in several experienced campaigners during the course of the season. At the top of that list was Victor Matfield, whom Meyer – thanks to the close relationship he’d built with the legendary lock during their highly-successful time at the Bulls – convinced to come out of retirement.

Captain Jean de Villiers was ruled out of the Incoming Tour through injury, leading to Meyer luring Matfield back to the battlefield to stand in as general. De Villiers returned in time to resume the captaincy for the Rugby Championship, which the men in Green and Gold finished as runners-up for the second successive season. Also back in the fold was fellow 2007 World Cup winner Schalk Burger, as well as Schalk Brits, Juan de Jongh, Francois Hougaard, Lwazi Mvovo and Frans Steyn, all of whom had last played Test rugby in 2012.

The season, which kicked off with a 47-13 win over a World XV in an unofficial Test at Newlands, ended on an anti-climactic note, with two defeats on the end-of-year tour (to Ireland and Wales), but overall, Meyer would’ve been satisfied with where they stood when the curtain came down.

South Africa 38-16 Wales
South Africa 31-30 Wales
South Africa 55-6 Scotland
South Africa 13-6 Argentina
South Africa 33-31 Argentina
South Africa 23-24 Australia
South Africa 10-14 New Zealand
South Africa 28-10 Australia
South Africa 27-25 New Zealand
South Africa 15-29 Ireland
South Africa 31-28 England
South Africa 22-6 Italy
South Africa 6-12 Wales

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