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The South African
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Springboks vs All Blacks: A GOAT rivalry in numbers
The All Blacks and the Springboks enjoy a rivalry that needs no introduction. With six Rugby World Cup crowns between them, any meeting between New Zealand and South Africa is one to savour. As former Springbok wing Ashwin Willemse told Sky Sports some years ago, growing up in South Africa with rugby as your sport of choice brought hopes of playing against one team: The All Blacks. 'We grow up in a nation where there's one game that we all hoped to one day play, and that's a Test match against the All Blacks,' Willemse said. 'I think this game captures the essence of sport: mutual respect, understanding, sportsmanship and gratitude. It's all those amazing virtues that have been captured through a big rugby rivalry. 'It represents a lifetime of dreams, hopes, and beliefs. It all culminates in that moment, that is what it has meant to me to play against the All Blacks. 'Arguably the greatest derby in world rugby. There is a lifelong tradition between the two teams, and there is a tremendous amount of respect.' In any sporting rivalry, what often makes head-to-head battles intriguing is the differences between adversaries. The All Blacks are known for their expansive, fast, flamboyant, flair-filled game, which gets fans out of their seats. The Springboks are always powerful and brutal. However, both are capable of swapping out traits from the other. The Wallabies and Springboks have given New Zealand a tough time in these competitions, but the All Blacks remain utterly dominant. They've won 19 titles from a possible 27 since 1996. Meanwhile, the 1995 final will never be forgotten. Joel Stransky's drop-kick settled the contest in extra time, producing a 15-12 scoreline to be forever etched in the hearts and minds of fanatical Bok supporters and indeed all South Africans. As skipper Francois Pienaar said with the William Webb Ellis trophy in his hands, 'We didn't have 60,000 South Africans, we had 43 million South Africans.' Images of Pienaar alongside then-president Nelson Mandela still adorn walls across the land. One of the most iconic moments in sporting history. Image: The Times The All Blacks, for the record, have won three of the last four RWC meetings between the sides. A 2019 pool stage win ended up proving academic with the Boks shrugging it off to win the title in Japan. NZ couldn't go all the way in 2003 despite beating the Boks in the quarter-finals, with England winning down under. The All Blacks did go all the way to glory in 2015, though, after vanquishing South Africa in the semi-finals at Twickenham and then the Wallabies in the final. The most recent World Cup meeting was that titanic struggle that the Boks won 22-21 in the 2023 final. The sides have met 106 times in their storied respective pasts, with the All Blacks registering 62 wins, the Springboks 40, and four draws. In the two biggest meetings between the sides, the Springboks have prevailed in the 1995 and 2023 Rugby World Cup finals. Are these the two greatest rugby nations ever? That's a rhetorical question! Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Who are the biggest Rugby World Cup chokers?
The Rugby World Cup has witnessed blood, sweat and tears. The Springboks have wept from joy on four occasions, but two other sides have been on the losing side thrice. Who are the biggest World Cup chokers? Spoiler alert, it's not the Springboks! The William Webb Ellis trophy isn't for everyone. South Africa has four titles, the most of any nation. France and England share the dubious honour of having lost the most finals, three apiece. Is England the biggest choker in history? The Springboks got the better of them in 2023's verve-jangling semi-final after eventually defeating France 29-28 in what will go down as one of rugby's greatest-ever matches. For what it's worth, the Springboks have never lost a final. As former Springbok wing Ashwin Willemse told Sky Sports some years ago, growing up in South Africa with rugby as your sport of choice brought hopes of playing against one team: The All Blacks. 'We grow up in a nation where there's one game that we all hoped to one day play, and that's a Test match against the All Blacks,' Willemse said. 'I think this game captures the essence of sport: mutual respect, understanding, sportsmanship and gratitude. It's all those amazing virtues that have been captured through a big rugby rivalry. 'It represents a lifetime of dreams, hopes, and beliefs. It all culminates in that moment; that is what it has meant to me to play against the All Blacks. 'Arguably the greatest derby in world rugby. There is a lifelong tradition between the two teams, and there is a tremendous amount of respect.' Who are the biggest chokers, in your eyes? Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
