The Springboks claimed the mantle of world champions last year in a tournament where they won, beyond all other facts, by playing a game and maintaining the mindset to win. 

They disregarded any form prior to the World Cup year – 2006 being a poor 12 months for the South Africans with seven losses, including back-to- back defeats to old foes the All Blacks and the Wallabies. 

But they approached 2007 with a steely focus, providing both finalists and, of course, the champions for the Super 14. 

'Graham Henry began the mistakes by anointing his top players a year out from the Cup'


Coach Jake White made a risky decision that his top players had now been battle-hardened, and he rested his elite men for the second half of the Tri-Nations, losing to the All Blacks twice and the Wallabies. However, he ensured some level of momentum was gained with two build-up Test matches before the World Cup. 

In the tournament itself, they had an attacking mindset – but were careful to play patient and percentage rugby although they were tested against the running style of the Tongans and Fijians. Their semi-final and final triumphs were the picture of risk-free winning rugby – as well as White knowing at all times who at least ten of his top 15 players were.

Alternatively, the All Blacks gained all the momentum in the world with a flawless build-up prior to the World Cup year, supplying two teams to the Super rugby tournaments top four every year – and losing only four Test matches between 2004 and 2006; in this period they were statistically more dominant than any other team in history. 

However, Graham Henry began the mistakes by anointing his top players a year out from the World Cup, taking them out of the Super 14 and not allowing his eventual top players to match-harden themselves in the most pivotal of rugby calendar years. 

Despite Tri-Nations and Bledisloe triumphs, the first-choice starting XV was not established in this time, and then Henry effectively gave his players seven weeks off before the Cup. One-sided romps provided an ineffectual build-up to the knockout stages, and the rest, it pains me to say, is history.

The real difference between the teams was summed up by the captains. John Smit, now a World Cup-winning captain, remarked that the goal quite simply was to win the games. Richie McCaw, now the most dominating international captain not to win a world championship, said after New Zealand's defeat to France: “At least we played positive attractive rugby”. True, as the All Blacks played all the rugby and dominated every single on-field statistic. But they lost.

To truly begin the debate of who will win now – it is effective to begin on this note. Peter De Villiers, the new Springbok coach, remarked that the South Africans will play more attacking rugby under his guidance, indicative of his style through coaching the age system and developing national outfits. 

Considering he has most of his Cup players still available to him, is this a wise move? Pragmatic, physically dominating Springbok teams always provide the most threat to their opponents. It is unlikely that the Boks wielding a complete offensive mindset will effectively compete with the All Blacks, who are the attacking geniuses of world rugby.

Likewise, the All Blacks will reflect on their World Cup exit, a game which has almost completely undone four years of outstanding worldwide rule. Their coaching team have exhibited that the All Blacks will not change their approach to winning games. However, Canterbury and Wellington, the two Super 14 semi-finalists, frequently showed a calm, basic, non-flamboyant style to win their games this season – and the national outfit would be remiss to not follow suit.

On paper, as always, there will be little between the two sides, although the Springboks will no doubt be the more experienced of the teams – while the All Blacks will no doubt deploy a younger if not slightly fitter operation. While games against the English, Welsh and Wallabies will tell us much regarding the world's top two teams - there are other factors to consider – such as the mental game.

The world champions will carry a confidence that such a title bestows, but with this title comes an expectation; an unforgiving African public which will not accept failure. Smit has said that the title will mean nothing without the continuation of momentum. They will face the All Blacks knowing that they won the title New Zealand were supposedly supposed to capture, and that will give the Springboks an advantage as long as they are not arrogant. 

The Springboks are now the marked team of the rugby world.

Likewise, the All Blacks will know that the Boks took not only the Webb Ellis trophy, but the New Zealanders' beloved shroud as the world’s premier team.

History has proven that a wounded All Black team is a vicous angry beast, and every victory that the Blacks record over the champions will be a quickening for their continuing nightmare as Cup chokers. For do not doubt the All Blacks will have one clear advantage in their coming encounters - that they must conquer the world champions for them to again claim global superiority.