Win on the All Blacks Bok Legend buoys before the November tests
Bongi Mbonambi on the charge of the Springboks. (Photo: Jono Searle / Getty Images)
Bryan Habana believes South Africa’s victory over New Zealand was just the boost the world champions needed ahead of their tour of Britain.
The Springboks begin their year-end campaign against Wales in Cardiff next week before facing Scotland and then ending their November campaign against England for the first time since defeating the Red Rose brigade at the 2019 World Cup Final in Japan.
South Africa finished third in the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship concluded earlier this month but, after three straight losses, ended the tournament with a spectacular 31-29 victory over rivals New Zealand.
And having beaten the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in a three-game streak already this year, the Springboks now have another chance to make a good impression on rugby nations at home ahead of the 2023 World Cup in France.
“There have been a lot of questions asked during this Lions series, but I think the way the Springboks got out of the rugby wilderness, the mental resilience the team displayed was paramount,” said the great South African Habana via a video link to the Autumn Nations. Launch of the series Tuesday.
“They were caught out against Australia in the country’s second round of the rugby championship, but they proved in the last game against the All Blacks that they were worthy world champions.
We saw the quality of the Springboks squad testing in this last game … there will definitely be three (wins) out of three goals up next month and they will focus on the first game against Wales , where they haven’t had much success over the past five years.
Wales have won their last four games against South Africa in Cardiff and Habana, 38, who has scored 67 tries in 124 Tests for the Springboks, added: “Go back on the last four or five years and the titanic battles against Wales he was physically won in advance and I don’t see this game being much different. “
Meanwhile, Habana felt England coach Eddie Jones made a timely decision in selecting Harlequins’ rising stars Alex Dombrandt and Marcus Smith to his November squad.
“In the middle of the World Cup cycle, Eddie knows he potentially needs an opportunity to train young talent within the setup,” said Habana, himself a 2007 World Cup winner.
“Marcus Smith had a 12 month dream, to be honest and is deservedly rewarded, and then you look at players like Alex Dombrandt, who was also instrumental in Quins’ Premiership victory last season.
“It’s a series where you can potentially provide opportunities – mix that experience with youngsters – and hopefully get a better idea of what he really has to look forward to in terms of the next World Cup in 2023.”
Even though the Springboks have a contract to compete in the Rugby Championship until 2030, they have long been linked with a move to the Six Nations given the trade advantages and equivalent time zones between the Republic and Europe.
This speculation intensified with the arrival of four South African teams – Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions – in the United Rugby Championship, the former Celtic League.
But Six Nations chief executive Ben Morel insisted on Tuesday that there was no plan on the table to make the Springboks the “seventh” nation.
“This is not a question at the moment. I understand that South Africa is engaged in the rugby championship and at the same time we are focusing on July and November,” said Morel, whose organization is also responsible for the series of autumn nations.
“The Six Nations have grown and reduced their squad numbers in a very short period of time over their 140 years, so that’s something we would be very careful to do.”