As a South African living in New Zealand with a great appreciation of the Springbok history against New Zealand it has always irked me that the younger generation Kiwi’s don’t understand or remember the Springbok/All Black rivalry.
Finding the article pasted here that South Africa has again become public enemy No1 for New Zealanders have pleased me immensely. I surely hope that the boks live up to the hype and produce a sterling performance.
It’s official. Conrad Smith has taken a while to come to this conclusion, but the Boks are back as public enemy No 1 for the All Blacks.
It’s fair to say Smith now gets the whole legendary All Blacks-Springboks thing. The New Zealand centre spoke this week about the old rivalry that’s been well and truly revived courtesy of a South Africa’s resurgence.
The All Blacks may be the No 1 team on a certain rankings list, but it’s Peter de Villiers’ Springboks who are the world champions and Tri-Nations champions; it’s a South African team (the Bulls) that has won three of the last four Super rugby titles; and it’s the good old Bokkies who last year became the first side since Adam was a cowboy to sweep the All Blacks in a three-test series.
Smith, one of the sharpest minds in this New Zealand team, now understands what all the fuss was about. There really is nothing like the Boks v Blacks.
Smith, who is reunited with his long-term midfield partner Ma’a Nonu for Saturday’s Tri-Nations opener at Eden Park, was forthright when reflecting on world rugby’s most compelling rivalry.
He agreed it had now become a special contest once again.
“I started feeling that last year,” the 28-year-old midfield maestro said. “I was a kid growing up through the apartheid era and I sort of never watched those games. For me growing up it was always Australia that was the biggest challenge when I dreamed of playing for the All Blacks.
“But now I think, along with a lot of other people from my era, we’re realising the special nature of playing the Springboks. I think it’s great.”
The beauty of taking on the South Africans on top of their game like they are now, reckoned Smith, was that you know exactly what you’re going to get. It’s just combatting their trademark formula that’s the hard part.
“I don’t think it’s changed for the 20-odd years I’ve been seeing and hearing about the game. They know what they do well. That’s why they’ve been playing so well, and I think they’ve really gone back to that.
“They’re brilliant at the simple things of the game and they’ve focused on that the past few years the way they’ve been able to put pressure on teams.”
Smith was also savouring the revival of this special rivalry which he said you realised every time you set foot in the republic.
“The respect they (the South Africans) give the All Blacks is pretty real and pretty humbling at times, especially with the success they’ve had over us last year.
“But that’s why it’s so good – we respect each other and that carries a real edge about wanting to beat each other too.”
Go Bokke!
Flok hulle goed op!
There is nothing like it in world rugby.
Clash of the titans!!
Ooooh I cant wait!!!!!
hmmmm,
dont you guys think they are trying to blow smoke up our asses?
helloooooooooo tripples!!
Well whether they are blowing smoke up our backsides or not, I personally think it will be one helluva game.
But in honesty I think the All Blacks must be concerned, they have never lost 4 in a row against any opposition, in fact most countries haven’t beaten tem 4 times.
What is the Superbru code for the Currie Cup, I have joined the Tri Nations one but not the Currie Cup one. If somebody could put that up it would be greatly appreciated.
By the way, BOKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dankie tog, daardie vervelige sport is amper verby.
Die naweek begin die groot rugby weer … die Bulle begin weer te speel. Vyf lang naweke gewees sonder ordentlike sport.
Wonder net hoekom word die hoofwedstryd reeds vrydagaand om 7 uur op Loftus gespeel, en die voorwedstryde eers saterdag ?
Bulle !
Bokke !
😀
Bokke en Kiwis sal altyd die top game wees in wereld rugby. Die Aussies is ook goed, maar hulle het net nie die belangstelling in Australie om in dieselfde asem as die ander twee genoem te word nie.
Sit nounet en terugdink aan die dae to n drie nog drie punte werd was, en wanneer jy a drie druk, dan moes jy hom “verdoel” of “vervyf” om 5 punte te kry….die waar die vervyf skop vandaan kom. Wie kan othou presies wanneer hulle die punte stelsel verander het na die huidige 5 punte vir n try? Ek kan othou dit was om meer waarde van die strafskop te verhoog.
is almal se krag uit in SA??…geen posts vir die afgelope uur en n half nie :0
of eskom jaag weer akkies aan, of julle het nie julle elektrisiteit rekeninge betaal nie 🙂
@ bos_otter:I think 1994 it became 4 points for a “try” and in 1996 it became 5 points for a try. The reason was too many teams were taking the drop goal option and they wanted to see more trys scored.
So from a try it should have become a quad and then from a quad to a penta (quadlateral and pentagon?)
try = tri = 3
So in Afrikaans it shouldnt be called a “drie” anymore either…..eish, my world is changing.
Should be a try for a tri and a 2 for a drop and penalty and a 1 for a conversion…..much simpler.
@ Ashley:
They are blowing smoke up our arses, but they are nervous, they have lost the cloak of invicibility…we must carry on for a few years yet to correct the balance of power…currently
Before 1992 Played 37 Boks won 20 and lost 15
Cavaliers Played 4 Boks won 3 lost 1
After 1992
Played 41 Boks won 13 and lost 27
Total excluding Cavaliers
Played 78 Boks won 33 lost 42
I dont think we can count the Cavaliers, so to even things up we have to beat them 9 times more than they beat us.
If we win every game from now on, this will take us at least 4 years….we are a long way off.
Thanks to Grundlingh Enslin who keeps these records up to date.
No other teams come close but the Aussies are one game ahead of us since 1992, which is frankly unacceptable.
For me it has always been the greatest rugby. The Boks/ABs.
Nothing can compare to it. Long may this fantastic rivalry continue between these two giants in rugby.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BOKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEE
Wow! rugby is back this Saturday with a bang. Boks/ABs can’t wait.
8@ Winston:
Winnie you dumb fluck… hehehe
Go to the menu’s under the Header Graphics, you’ll find SuperBru there as well as the Pool Codes when you open the right page…
12@ bos_otter:
Bossie jou dom drol… flok ek vloek julle lekker…. hehehehe
‘n drie het 4 punte geword in die 70-tiger jare al… 1971 to be exact…. en vyf geword in die 90’s… 1992 to be exact.
@ grootblousmile:
Thanks GBS….you uptight poephol!!
20@ bos_otter:
Bwahahahahaha
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