South Africa might be the World Cup winners and they might have had an unbeaten streak stretching back 13 matches going into the Tri-Nations, but they’re not quite as good as some people are making them out to be.

The Springboks, like New Zealand, lost players to the Northern Hemisphere and the lure of big money in Europe after the World Cup, although they do have a quota system to field players based outside the country.

They might have defeated New Zealand at Dunedin to record their first win in New Zealand for 10 years, their first-ever win at Carisbrook and end the All Blacks’ 30-match unbeaten record, but it doesn’t prove that they’re the best in the world, even if they did return to the top of the IRB rankings following that win.

They came good that night against a side who more than matched them at times, but suffered when they lost lock Ali Williams at half-time, and were reliant on 23 points courtesy of Dan Carter’s kicking ability.

The All Blacks have won the Tri-Nations tournament on four times as many occasions as either of their rivals, and continue to dominate world rugby. It could be said that the emergence of South Africa as the best team in the world was due to New Zealand’s failure to achieve their potential at the World Cup in 2007. The All Blacks are, after all, the World Cup under-achievers.

Despite the Springboks’ win in Dunedin, they still lost the opening Tri-Nations match in Wellington and continue to have a losing record against the All Blacks in all competitions. Add in their defeat to Australia in Perth on Saturday, and that’s two defeats from three games in the Tri-Nations in the space of three weeks.

New Zealand have already broken South Africa’s run at the top of the rankings following the Wellington Test, although that was one stolen back after Dunedin. But by the end of the Tri-Nations, the South Africans will once again be overtaken, by at least New Zealand, and possibly Australia as well.

The Springboks looked threatening at times against the Wallabies but failed to take their chances as they failed to score to cancel out two Australian tries. They’ve yet to play at home in this Tri-Nations tournament and will be more formidable on home soil.

Going back to the World Cup, South Africa only faced two of the world’s best sides in England during the group stage and the final, and faced Argentina in the semi-finals, thanks largely to the Pumas defeating France in their group match. They got the luck of the draw, not the best way of determining a nation as the best side in the world.

To do that, they will need to comprehensively win the Tri-Nations and go on to dominate world rugby in the next 18 months, both at home and when touring. If they really are the best nation in the world, they will arrive in New Zealand for the 2011 World Cup still as the No.1 side in the IRB rankings and with a significant match-winning record.

South Africa are still one of the best, but they have a way to go to prove that they really are THE best rugby union side in the world.