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.
@carol – 52
What face? the 🙄 ?
@Loserer – 53
prezzies…..
Are we getting personal now? 😯
@SA Barbarians – 55 Will take the hint…
So, have you got the ‘lucky underpants’ on tonight??? 😉
56@Loserer – Freegin hell, it was pure torture…. Truworths, Foschini, Edgars… Mr Price.
I went and sat outside, in the Hallways eventually, gawking at the mad shoppers and the pained expressions of fellow he-males coming past…
@grootblousmile – Eers nadat ek gepost het het ek die taal gesien. 😆
@grootblousmile – Jim will probably ask me for translation services now I am nearly fluent!! Did you like my efforts to talk Afrikaans to you the other night? I think I am coming on in leaps and bounds!! Lol
@superBul – By the way, Hi superBul….Would love to watch the Boks in your Bush Pub it sounds great!
57@carol – Torture would have been much kinder on me…. hehehehe
Handbriekie dragged me along to choose some trousers and a nice shirt for my birthday…. well that took care of 2 minutes flat…
@carol – Yes there you are , go ahead girl, help this boertjie out my tale is poor tonight.
@carol – 63
Nooooooooo aren’t you confusing me with someone else?
I have more faith in inter personal skills, atmosphere, and so on………….. 🙂
@grootblousmile – Hey, but you have racked up some brownie points there!!
Do South African women say ‘Does my bum look big in this’ as well?? 🙂
You know whatever you say will always be wrong!!
@carol – It is great, that i can tell you. Right on the banks of the Klaserie River, beautiful trees, game seen here regularly includes leopard, elephant , hippos and a great variety of buck.
Birds galore, snakes too many, you name it.
@grootblousmile – 68
hehehehe
Men are hunters… they go to a shop, know what they want, hunt it down, shoot it and get out of there.
Women, on the other hand, are gatherers….. they make a social event of shopping…. browse, feel texture, compare prices, have tea, gossip……. oh geeeez…
@grootblousmile – Tell me you did not go to Mr. Price the discount store?
71@carol – My female house animals go to the Mall, choose a host of items, but do not go and fit it in the Fitting Rooms….
Noooo, they choose to bring the items home, fit them at home, to have another excuse to go to the Mall to return the stuff which does not fit well enough….
Women are strange creatures, my dear !
When asked, does this look good, my standard response is “It would not have looked good on many women, but on your perfect body, everything looks good !”
It works every time !
Hehehehe
64@grootblousmile – Hate going to the shops with my hubbie. tunnel vision. ‘You said you want to go to shop X, WHY are you standing in front of shop Y. Now we just dump him somewhere, take the wallet and dissapear
@superBul – So if you loose the match you can at least enjoy the other views!!
@Loserer – 76
There we go………. see 73 above
No more evidence your honour… 🙂
@grootblousmile – You are such a smoothie GBS, remind me to not believe a word you say!!
76@Loserer – Goodie, your hubby is a lucky man….
I think I might be left at home after today… they saw I was taking serious strain…
Luckily Handbriekie has her own rather large wallet, so she can shop all she wants… it does not hurt my pockets…
78@SA Barbarians – 😆 😆 😆
79@carol – Hehehehe
I’m a diplomat of note……
0 to 200 in 6 seconds
Bob was in trouble. He forgot his wedding anniversary. His wife was
really pissed.
She told him “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the
driveway that goes from 0 to 200 in 6 seconds AND IT BETTER BE THERE !!”
The next morning he got up early and left for work. When his wife woke
up, she looked out the window and sure enough there was a box
gift-wrapped in the middle of the driveway.
Confused, the wife put on her robe and ran out to the driveway, brought
the box back in the house.
She opened it and found a brand new bathroom scale.
Bob has been missing since Friday.
@grootblousmile – Or a smoothie…Hey I’m not complaining!!
(i) Lifting or forcing an opponent up. A front row player must not lift an opponent in the air,
or force an opponent upwards out of the scrum, either when the ball is being thrown in or
afterwards. This is dangerous play.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
Right guys and girl(s) i wanted to talk rugby today , nobody here , we must get more people here. At voldy there was decent rugby conversations, we will have to work on this. Sadly my day must end now and there was so many questions. Enjoy the evening.
Night.
Excuse me for a few minutes, I have to proof-read a Varsity Project for BonzaiHandbriekie…
@superBul – See you Superbul, sorry my scrum convrsation is a bit ‘limited’ !! 🙂
@grootblousmile – Piling on the brownie points….you will be allowed boys nights out at this rate!
Good night folks
@SA Barbarians – 24 LOL, now that’s quite a vision 🙂
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