Latest news with #WilliamWebbEllistrophy
The Age
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Bigger than Winning a World Cup!
Owen Finegan holds his 2001 Lions series victory above winning the William Webb Ellis trophy in 1999
Sydney Morning Herald
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Bigger than Winning a World Cup!
Owen Finegan holds his 2001 Lions series victory above winning the William Webb Ellis trophy in 1999
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
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
'Springboks have made England their little b*%#* at World Cups'
The Springboks have a favourable historical record against most blue-chip opponents, especially in recent years. The Springboks' nail-biting 16-15 win in the 2023 semi-final against England was the sixth Rugby World Cup meeting between the sides. South Africa won the 1999 quarter-final (44-21) in Paris; the pool game (36-0) and final (15-6) in 2007, also both in Paris; and the final (32-12) in Yokohama in 2019. England won the pool game in Perth in 2003 (25-6). The Springboks now boast an 83.33% win rate against their old foes at the world's biggest tournament, and two of those four wins have come in the match that matters most of all. Amazingly, the 2023 semifinal was the first time the Springboks named an unchanged matchday 23 for consecutive games since 2018. This spoke volumes for the consistency in the World Champions' performances leading up to and including the 2023 World Cup. There's been a special level of mutual trust in the camp between technical staff and players, culminating in glory in Paris. 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. Rassie took the Boks back from the brink Siyamthanda Kolisi in Cape Town. Image: David Harrison / AFP What's the next hurdle for the Springboks? 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
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
10 elite Springboks started the 2019 AND 2023 Rugby World Cup finals
The Springboks defended their Rugby World Cup crown in 2023. But do you know the 10 players who started the final in 2019 in Japan and the 2023 final in Paris? Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Siyamthanda Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen, Faf de Klerk, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe are the men in question. It points to a seriously impressive level of continuity that 66.6% of those who started in Yokohama also started in the showpiece four years later in the French capital. Flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit completed 28 tackles against the All Blacks in the 2023 showpiece. To put that absurd number into some type of context, the previous record for tackles made by one player in a Rugby World Cup final was 18 by Richie McCaw back in 2011. To eclipse that mark by 10 is a monumental effort. Collectively, the Springboks made 208 tackles in the final, the most ever in a knockout match at the RWC World Cup. The tireless PSDT makes another tackle. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) The William Webb Ellis trophy isn't for everyone. Here's the honours roll of all champions and the team they vanquished that year. 1987: New Zealand beat France beat France 1991: Australia beat England beat England 1995: South Africa beat New Zealand beat New Zealand 1999: Australia beat France beat France 2003: England beat Australia beat Australia 2007: South Africa beat England beat England 2011: New Zealand beat France beat France 2015: New Zealand beat Australia beat Australia 2019: South Africa beat England beat England 2023: South Africa beat New Zealand Rassie took the Boks back from the brink Who is your favourite player ever to represent the Springboks? 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.
