The Springboks could end their poor run between World Cups with a groundbreaking away win against Argentina on Saturday, writes JON CARDINELLI.
It’s been 10 years since South Africa won any silverware. A victory in Salta this weekend will bring an end to the long trophy drought and ensure that the Boks head to the World Cup with some confidence.
While the Rugby Championship is largely irrelevant in a World Cup year, the Boks will have an opportunity to tick a few boxes this Saturday, and to continue their progress under coach Rassie Erasmus.
The Boks went into 2016 ranked third in the World Rugby standings. A series of heavy defeats over the next two seasons had them dropping down to seventh.
Erasmus took the team in a different direction when he assumed the head coach position in 2018. The Boks scored some important wins against England and New Zealand.
Their overall tour record, though, left a lot to be desired. Indeed, the Boks’ record abroad since the start of the 2016 season makes for unpleasant reading.
It also highlights the challenge facing Erasmus’ charges in Salta this weekend.
BOK AWAY RECORD (2016-18)
| PLAYED | WON | DRAW | LOST | WIN % |
|
22 |
6 |
2 |
14 |
27% |
The Boks were second only to the All Blacks in the rankings for much of Heyneke Meyer’s tenure (2012-15). Where the team failed consistently was in the away matches of the Rugby Championship.
The draw and ultimately the outrageous travel demands, of course, did the South Africans no favours. Whatever the reasons, the results below highlight the team’s struggles over a period of eight seasons.
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The Boks have won one match in Australia and one match in New Zealand during this period. They’re yet to win three tour matches in a single campaign.
BOK RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR RECORD (2012-18)
| PLAYED | WON | DRAW | LOST | WIN % |
|
20 |
5 |
3 |
12 |
25% |
This year, however, could witness a significant first – at least in the context of the Boks’ rotten run on the road in recent years.
South Africa drew with New Zealand in Wellington two weeks ago. A victory in Salta this Saturday could see them clinching the Rugby Championship title and finishing undefeated on tour for just the first time.
Most tend to dismiss results and performances in a truncated Rugby Championship. And yet, one needs to remember how poor the Boks were in 2016 and 2017 – and indeed how awful they’ve been on the road for three seasons – to appreciate how far they’ve come.
A win in Salta wouldn’t install the Boks as favourites to win the World Cup. It would highlight the team’s progress in away fixtures, though, and give the side a much-needed boost ahead of a challenging campaign in Japan.
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
