Depending on who you ask, South Africa was once the mightiest team on the planet before being overhauled by a bunch of seafaring roughnecks from a tiny island in the South Pacific two or three decades ago.

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Proud Kiwis claim (as is their wont) their domination of rugby goes back beyond 1981 and into rugby infinity, but let's just say they always struggled to prove that against the Springboks until their golden era,  coinciding with the height of civil rights turmoil in South Africa.

Now, three decades after the beginning of South Africa's revolution, the men in green are back.

Some say, maybe prematurely, that the Springboks are not only the current defending World Champions of rugby but that they've retaken the space briefly occupied by New Zealand.

Some flatly proclaim, 'Green is the new black!'

I don't know, it's a big claim and possibly a bit early, but looking at an international fixture list, South Africa have certainly stepped up to the plate.

Take a look at whose getting all the official honours of late, it's South Africa and not the Kiwis. I mean it's a little embarrasing really, the new Aviva Stadium is getting a grand opening and whose not invited?

New Zealand aren't playing Wales at the 11th Anniversary of the Millennium Stadium next year either. it seems South Africa have pipped the All Blacks here once again.

When there is a truly historic event, South Africa have become the team to call.

I'm sure a couple of sad New Zealanders might reckon that's no big deal but many a pundit reckons South Africa can rightfully claim to have regained at least some of their old pre-80s mojo.

And in the eyes of environmentalists and the so-called Rainbow Nations 'rainbow warriors', green is indeed the new black.

For certain, one more World Cup triumph in 2011 for South Africa will cost New Zealand more than their regular pre-match song-and-dance routine.