19 December 2019, by: Quintin van Jaarsveld

Springbok Decade Series: 2015

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.

Before the 2015 season kicked off, the build-up to the World Cup had been solid rather than spectacular (the Springboks’ performance at the global showpiece would ultimately reflect that). The final lead-up to the tournament, however, could hardly have gone worse.

Heyneke Meyer’s men lost all three of their Rugby Championship clashes, including crashing to a first-ever 37-25 defeat to Argentina. To rub salt in the wound, the stinging loss came on home soil, with the Pumas drowning the hosts in Durban. The Springboks finished dead-last, while the Wallabies broke the stranglehold the All Blacks had had on the silverware as they sealed their first Rugby Championship title.

The disastrous campaign cast serious doubts over the Springboks’ conservative game plan and the composition of the team. Meyer, however, had married himself to his tactics and selections and at that stage, he had no choice but to live or die by the sword.

They got a small measure of revenge over Argentina a week after the shock loss, running out 26-12 victors in a one-off Test in Buenos Aires. The performance didn’t exactly restore the honour of Springbok rugby, but at least they turned the tide in what was their final outing before the World Cup.

Meyer’s World Cup squad boasted a wealth of experience, including three centurions in captain Jean de Villiers, vice-captain Victor Matfield and try-scoring machine Bryan Habana. Matfield and Schalk Burger would feature in their fourth World Cups, while De Villiers, Habana, JP Pietersen, Ruan Pienaar, Fourie du Preez and brothers Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis would play in their third. Six players who featured in 2011 were also included, with the squad boasting a combined number of 1,297 caps.

All of that experience could not help them avoid catastrophe in their opening World Cup clash. On the greatest day in Japanese rugby and one of the darkest in Springbok history, the Brave Blossoms sent shockwaves through the rugby world as they pulled off a historic 34-32 win.

All of that experience could not help them avoid catastrophe in their opening World Cup clash. On the greatest day in Japanese rugby and one of the darkest in Springbok history, the Brave Blossoms sent shockwaves through the rugby world as they pulled off a historic 34-32 win.

The stunning victory, sealed with a thrilling last-gasp try by wing Karne Hesketh, is widely regarded as the greatest upset in rugby history and became known as “The Miracle of Brighton.” A shell-shocked Springbok side would have to dig deep to restore honour to the Green and Gold jersey and they started that process with dominant wins over Samoa (46-6), Scotland (34-16) and USA (64-0) to top Pool B.

Wales lay in wait in the quarter-finals and just like in their pool match four years prior, they pushed the Springboks to the limit. The hard-fought battle saw the lead change hands several times and with six minutes remaining, the Welsh led 19-18. It took a moment of brilliance from an attacking scrum inside the Welsh 22 to save the day.

Duane Vermeulen picked up from the back, drew two defenders and threw a beautiful behind-the-back offload to Du Preez who sprinted and dived over in the corner to secure a 23-19 and set-up a semi-final showdown with the All Blacks. The titanic clash at Twickenham turned out to be a World Cup classic.

The Boks produced their best performance of the tournament, but it wasn’t quite enough to stun the defending champions, as they succumbed 20-18. There was a small sense of victory in defeat as the beaten Boks reclaimed the respect of the rugby world with their classy, spirited showing against the much-vaunted All Blacks, who went on to become the first team in history to successively retain the Webb Ellis Cup thanks to a 34-17 win over the Wallabies in the final.

The Boks signed off on a positive note as they beat Argentina 24-13 at the Olympic Stadium to bag bronze, bringing to a close the Meyer era, which promised so much but, in the end, delivered little.

South Africa 20-24 Australia
South Africa 20-27 New Zealand
South Africa 25-37 Argentina
South Africa 26-12 Argentina

World Cup:

South Africa 32-34 Japan
South Africa 46-6 Samoa
South Africa 34-16 Scotland
South Africa 64-0 USA
South Africa 23-19 Wales
South Africa 18-20 New Zealand
South Africa 24-13 Argentina

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