GAVIN RICH: Bok-Kiwi clashes still the poster child of rugby

There are many who are concerned about the future of rugby but at Ellis Park at the weekend one thing was crystal clear — the SA vs New Zealand rivalry remains as competitive and absorbing as it has ever been. The games played between the teams also provide quality and entertainment that is a level above the rest.

France and Ireland supporters might disagree, for those two nations have also now become big players on the world stage. But the operative word there is “now”. Their level of performance hasn’t had the longevity and consistency through the ages of the two southern hemisphere superpowers.

Except for perhaps the first half of the Kings Park Test in the Ireland series, the Ellis Park game was the best international played this year, anywhere on the planet. It was built up as an epic, and it was an epic, in every imaginable way.
 The Boks’ come-from-behind win in a game that in many ways underlined just why they are world champions means they have placed one hand on the Rugby Championship trophy.

Australia’s surprise win over Argentina, on the same day as New Zealand’s second defeat, means a Bok win in Cape Town will clinch the trophy.

They should be eager to make sure of it as if I am reading the signs correctly, the Championship, certainly in its current format, might be on its last legs. And maybe rightly so. There was a time, when three teams contested what was then the Tri-Nations, that the Wallabies were hugely competitive. But no more.

And while the Pumas did shock the All Blacks in the first round of this year’s Championship, that result was perhaps overhyped and not seen as the aberration that it was. The Kiwis restored order in resounding fashion the next week, and we’re hearing from the higher powers that Argentina and Australia are contributing as little to the commercial and marketability side of the competition as they are on the field.

First series

Details are emerging of the agreement that SA and New Zealand are working on to introduce a proper series and tour involving the two nations every four years. It sounds exciting and could lead to an iconic regular series matchup similar to cricket’s Ashes series between Australia and England and the British & Irish Lions tours.

The first series, which will be played over four games, with three of them in the host country and one, to satisfy obvious commercial ambitions, at a neutral venue, is scheduled for 2026, with the All Blacks coming to SA. In addition to the Test matches, there will be tour games, making it an eight-game tour.

Why I think the Championship might be on the way out is that New Zealand have suggested that in those years of a Bok-All Black series, there should be no Championship. Which is surely their way of indicating they don’t have that much appetite for it.

Too much of a good thing is a bad thing, and if the Boks and All Blacks will play a huge series against each other every four years, playing two Championship games in the other years might cheapen those occasions.


The World Rugby Nations Championship, which is much criticised but will happen, kicks off in 2026, and one game maximum annually between the southern hemisphere nations will suffice as part of that competition. The Six Nations has tradition and will forever be the focus of the northern nations, but the southern Championship is expendable, particularly if the two big teams are going to be playing rugby’s “Ashes” every four years.

On the Ellis Park evidence, even though the Boks weren’t at their best against a team that produced their best performance since their RWC quarterfinal against Ireland, the Boks will arrive at the 2026 series against New Zealand in rude health.

Justifying hype

Rassie Erasmus raised eyebrows with what would have been considered experimental selections for such a big game, but 22-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu used his first experience of facing the All Blacks to confirm he could well develop into one of the most complete flyhalves the sport has seen. He’s already world class.

Aphelele Fassi is also now justifying the hype that enveloped his early years at the Sharks, and let’s not forget that the classy Damian Willemse is out injured but already has global stature as a fullback. Willie le Roux may have value in his mentorship role, but the Boks won’t lose anything on the field if he doesn’t wear the green-and-gold again.

Ben-Jason Dixon was replaced before halftime but did not look out of place, while Ruan Nortjé, possibly the fifth-ranked player in his position if you consider Pieter-Steph du Toit can also play No 5 lock, also confirmed himself as someone who can play at the highest level. Nortjé did become more influential though once the experience of Eben Etzebeth was on the field, which confirmed the importance of bleeding in the youngsters while the core of experienced double World Cup winners is still around.