 Van Niekerk's return is a boost |
It is a sad indictment of the state of South African rugby that losing narrowly in New Zealand was viewed in a positive light by the vanquished visitors. For the fifth year in succession a Springboks' Tri-Nations campaign finished with only a solitary victory to celebrate, at home to Australia.
But after a record defeat by the All Blacks and a media savaging for their overt aggression in Brisbane, an eight-point defeat in Dunedin offered sweet succour by comparison.
Captain Corne Krige was quick to insist he could never be happy in defeat: "I still haven't won a Test in New Zealand," he remarked pointedly.
But after the recent battering the Boks have taken on and off the field, there were signs at Carisbrook that their pivotal World Cup date with England in eight weeks will not be the walkover many have predicted.
 | SA's recent record in Perth 1998: Beat Australia 14-13 2001: Drew Australia 14-14 |
To be fair to England coach Clive Woodward, he has never been among those to voice such an opinion. "We are under no illusions about that match," he said. "South Africa have been a team under pressure and they stepped up a gear.
"New Zealand had played some fantastic rugby but the results of the Tri-Nations won't have any bearing on the World Cup."
History bears out Woodward's argument. New Zealand arrived at the last World Cup as Tri-Nations champions, only to be notoriously humbled by France in a memorable semi-final.
The day before, South Africa had also proved that pre-World Cup form was far from a reliable indicator by taking Australia to extra-time in the other semi-final.
In 1999, the Boks were beaten by 26 points in Australia and 28 in New Zealand in the Tri-Nations. They also lost at home to the All Blacks before scrambling a single-point victory over the Wallabies in their final match.
Yet two months later the boot of Jannie de Beer infamously bundled England out at the quarter-final stage, before South Africa stretched the eventual winners to the limit.
So why, as Krige suggests, can the Boks "take a lot of positives" from their latest display?
The bigggest plus was the form of their back-row, where the return of the exciting Joe van Niekerk and the progress of number eight Juan Smith now complement Krige's own commitment.
 Bobo impressed in Dunedin |
Lock Victor Matfield enjoyed a superb tournament despite the results, while giant prop Richard Bands gave a good impression of Phil Vickery in Dunedin with a barnstorming try. Dreadlocked centre Gcobani Bobo also showed promise in attack and defence, but whether he faces England is open to question.
Springboks coach Rudi Straeuli used a different centre combination in every Tri-Nations match, with Marius Joubert, Andre Snyman, Jorrie Muller and De Wet Barry also in the mix.
The constant tinkering with backline combinations - Straeuli also used a different full-back in all four Tests - may explain why South Africa only mustered four tries in the tournament.
Surprisingly perhaps, fly-half Louis Koen and wing Stefan Terblanche remained the only constants, although Koen offers little more than a solid kicking game.
In Dunedin it let him down, and South Africa's hopes of a shock victory went with him. But if his drop-goal attempts start to hit the mark in Perth, then the ghost of de Beer could yet come back to haunt England.
MMIX
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