The difference between good and great has got very little to do with skill and talent at test level.
Last week someone asked me whether I agree with the common sentiment in the media of late of whether this current Springbok side was the greatest one in history.
Well firstly I believe it is silly to compare this team with teams in the 1950’s, 30’s or 70’s as the game has changed so much, but perhaps there was a case of comparing them to Springbok teams since 1992 when we came back from isolation…
It was a tough question, because I want this team to be the best of all time or the last 20 years, and in recent times they make it difficult for you not to think they just might be, but I was also very aware of the fact that as time goes by, memories fade and if we have to go and study the winning World Cup team of 1995, or Mallet’s charges of 1997/98 one would realize that they were very special teams, with some very special players and moments in their own right and time.
But I was still stuck with the question, was this team the best we had?
Before the Tri-Nations started I said this team is on the brink of greatness, and era very seldom seen in rugby and one that comes around once or twice in a fan’s lifetime.
A couple of things would determine whether this team is truly great, or just very good.
Greatness is also a matter of subjective perception. For instance is a team that wins trophy after trophy great? Even thought they lose the odd match in-between?
Is a team great when they win World Cup’s?
Or is a team great when they are recognized as the number 1 team in the world, by consistently beating the best or top 5 teams on the ranking list?
Personally I would go for the last option, which was also my point when we won the World Cup and became the number 1 team in world rugby following that victory and I said it is not a true reflection of the standings in power in world rugby at the time.
Today we are the number 1 ranked team in the world (and still world champions by the way) because we beat the top two sides in world rugby twice. I also have little doubt we will remain the top team in world rugby following our traditional end of year tour and it would be a deserving title and honour, unlike 2007.
But does that make this team great, or the greatest?
I could not avoid the question, but I also could not pin it down on any one thing why I thought this team was exceptionally good, but not great. Yesterday’s loss also did not give me any answers really, because we have all known and discussed possible weak areas in this team so it was or is not the definitive reason why I believed this team was good but not (yet) great.
I then read this week how Springbok legend Tiaan Strauss handed over the jersey’s to the team for their match in Brisbane, and Tiaan hit the nail on the head and pinpointed the elusive ingredient which I could not come up with why I believe this team is good, but not great.
Tiaan in a speech to the players mentioned that great teams were defined by the character in that team. A character which saw the All Blacks dominate world rugby in the last 20 years where no matter what the touring schedule, no matter what the injuries, no matter who the coach or game plan, losing is simply not an option for them. It was ingrained in that team’s character, and that is what is missing from our Springbok team still in my view.
We are sitting as some suggest in a golden age in Springbok rugby, many factors prove this. We have immensely experienced, skillful and talented players, that much is clear. But over and above having the talent and the skill, this team needs the character to show and prove, they are indeed the greatest Springbok team in history.
26@SA Barbarians – 😳
@Loserer – Hmmm bottle of the Capes best, tender beef fillet on the braai, grilled veggies, strawberries fed to me in a most seductive manner…. yes I can safely say I had a nice day thanx 🙂
@Loserer – I have O.D’d on Kirsty and Phil, she does have an incredibly grating voice!!
Bet she never watches rugby!
@Loserer – 31
Hey mind that dirty mind lady! I was referring to the WP/Bulls game, if you don’t mind……..:-)
@SA Barbarians – Wow, I am going to have to remember that!!
Would that work with plums, we have got masses!! I hate waste !! lol
@carol – 29
Geez you too?!?!
See my 34 for heaven sake!! 🙄
33@carol – there should be no reason why we should watch it, but we can’t help ourselves. It’s like that 4 Weddings show
34@SA Barbarians – Hmmmmm…..
@Loserer – Ref rugby rules – WRS just looks grumpy if I ask questions and sort of goes Shushhhh 😐
@carol – 35
Oh yes plums would work a treat… but they have to be passed from mouth to mouth
@SA Barbarians – 36 Yeah, yeah, yeah….I can sense your satisfied smirk from here!! 🙂 Heheheheheh
@carol – I HATE being shusshed, instant tantrum!
@carol – 39
Don’t blame WRS
I also get grumpy when I try to figure out what the hell the ref is smoking
yup SAB, I can see that smug look… 😆
@carol – 41
I sense that I am in a no-win situation here…. 🙁
@SA Barbarians – 40 Bwahahahahaha, Heheheheeheh 🙂 🙂 🙂
Oh good grief I needed a laugh……
I have been making chutney, anything is a respite from the smell of vinegar!! More…….
Well I have to something with the ruddy plums, and WRS would give me a funny look if I tried your trick!!
@Loserer – 42 Tell me about it….. 🙁
Ladies, ladies, ladies……
Do not confuse being mellow and contented as being smug … please?
@SA Barbarians – Love it when Puma gets mad with the ref….I can never work out what the poor ref has done wrong!
@carol – what kind of chutney? I’ve tried everything on offer here, but nothing compares to good old Mrs Balls
Hello friends,
Been absent today, here on the blog, because of the doings and screwings of the Electricity Department with our town’s electricity.
Soooo, in stead I went to the Mall with the women in the house……….. oi, oi, oi!
Never again !!
I’d rather eat nails next time, before going to the Mall again……. fark !!
@SA Barbarians – Could you just remind me of the difference. The face looks the same!!
@SA Barbarians – Okay, it’s your birthday, I’ll be super nice. Did you get any prezzies?
@JimT – 15
You are also a old front rower is this guy right?
Reël 20.3.i bepaal uitdruklik dat indien ‘n voorry opgedruk word of opwaarts gedwing word moet die skeidsregter sy fluitjie onmiddelik blaas. Daar is geen straf nie. Telkens as Wikus vir Werner opgeskrum het, is Werner gestraf. Daar is nie so reël nie.
Posted by Judge (Middelburg Mpumalanga) Saturday, September 05, 2009 – 21:50
23. O ja. En nog ‘n reël wat nooit korrek toegepas is nie is reël 17.6.c – ‘n losgemaal wat onsuksesvol eindig(maw waar ‘n span die bal invat en nie uitkry nie) word ‘n skrum beveel en aan die span wat nie die bal gehad het, gegee. Ons het by meer as 5 geleenthede op ons doellyn ‘n stormloop vd WP in die lug gehou, maar die ingooi het na die WP gegaan. Wat omgekeerde besit moes wees, het skielik ‘n druksituasie geword. BASICS mnr. ref!!
@carol – 46
May I suggest a sprinkling of castor sugar rather than vinegar? I would also have 🙄 look if you passed me a plum infused with damn vinegar 🙄
🙂 🙂
51@grootblousmile – Your health is obviously important to them; how light is your pocket now? Probably don’t want you to get back problems 😆
@grootblousmile – Helloo You, sounds like torture, poor thing!! Hahahah
54@superBul – There is no way in hell that an Ex-International England prop (JimT) is going to understand Afrikaans…
@grootblousmile – 51
Hi GBS!!!!
Oh common!!! Admit you just luuuuuved window shopping with the ladies…. 🙂
@Loserer – 50 – Plum chutney today, pear and walnut too. Heavens knows what I am going to do with it all!! Have to say, I could give Mrs. balls a run for her money tho!!
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