Winners all round as Bulls clinch it

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, is the opening line of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. This phrase is an apt description of the mood in two South African cities after the Super 14 final, but there were also reasons to cheer for the fans of the losing team.

It was the best of times in Pretoria (and, indeed, Soweto); it was the worst of times in Cape Town – after the Bulls won their third Super 14 title in four seasons. The Stormers stumbled over the final hurdle, losing by 17-25 to the men in blue.

Yet, there are at least two reasons why the Stormers supporters should be celebrating the victory together with their fellow countrymen from the north.

Firstly, the game was played in the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, in an atmosphere that had Bulls captain Victor Matfield singing the praises of the people of Soweto.

Rugby union, long regarded as a white-dominated sport, was forced to Orlando because the Bulls' homeground, Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, is being prepared for the Fifa Soccer World Cup.

The move was widely hailed as a huge success, with white fans joining black Sowetans in township taverns, while the sound of vuvuzelas made it difficult, according to Matfield, "to hear the lineout calls".

"South Africa should be very proud. It was like all of South Africa coming together to enjoy themselves and the game of rugby. South Africa will never be the same again," said Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile.

Apart from the successful exercise in nation-building, the Super 14 final provided Stormers supporters with another reason to be proud.

John Eales, a legendary former Australian captain, said in his column in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Super 14 final validated fears of the Springboks continuing their international dominance.

With Australia filled with young players at Wallaby level, and the All Blacks struggling with a crippling injury count, the onus will be on Springbok coach Peter de Villiers to match a tough schedule against the need for rest, while still being able to keep the Boks' domination of world rugby.

But, according to Eales, the Bok coach has all the tools he requires at his call.

“Aside from a few notable periods of exception since their return to international rugby in 1992, the Boks have all too often measured pace and strength by the pound but intellect by the ounce,” Eales wrote.

“In their recent years of dominance, this has changed – and a lot of that change has been led through the enlightenment of their five-eighths (flyhalfs).

“A five-eighth is the working brain of a team. They control the tempo of a game. If Stephen Larkham, for example, was in Cape Town not Canberra, the renaissance of the Boks may have begun many years sooner," he added.

“But in Peter Grant and Morné Steyn, they now have at least two outstanding options.

“Then, imagine the luxury of choosing a locking pair out of Victor Matfield, the currently suspended Bakkies Botha, and the multi-skilled giant, Andries Becker. They have similar wealth all over the field," wrote Eales.

“Clearly, though, the South African on-field renaissance has also been led through better coaching practices both on and off the field.

"In this match, the Bulls were clearly the freshest team from the first moments and they maintained this advantage until the last. There is no doubt that their 'week off' cost them nothing in momentum, but gave them gas throughout the important moments. This was a risk, but they made it an advantage, as the victory delivered their third title in four seasons – a tribute to their dominance throughout this period,” he added.

Wales Test

The former Lions legend Barry John believes that the single victory by the Lions against the Boks in 2009 may help Wales to beat the Springboks on Saturday.

The British and Irish Lions won the final Test during their tour of South Africa, which gave the Welshmen in the side their first taste of victory over the world champion Springboks.

"What Wales also have is players who know what it is like to be in a side who beats the Springboks," John wrote in his column for Wales on Sunday.

"When I was playing, your CV would not have been complete if you had not beaten New Zealand. Once you have done it once, the monkey is off your back.

"Players like Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones, Shane Williams and Matthew Rees have beaten South Africa with the Lions," he added.

Wales' sole victory over the Springboks came in 1999, in a match that marked the opening of the Millennium Stadium, while Saturday's Test is the 10th anniversary of the stadium's opening.

"I am backing Wales to celebrate only their second win against South Africa in Cardiff next Saturday," John wrote.

"South Africa has arrived for this one-off game and some people might rub their hands with glee at the thought of a Springboks team as world champions here without some of their top stars.

“They are missing second rows Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, their world-class back-row stars Juan Smith, Schalk Burger and Pierre Spies, halfbacks Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn and wing, Bryan Habana,” he added.

John, legend that he is, forgets one vital factor: That victory achieved by the British and Irish Lions occurred against a depleted Springbok pack.

The Boks will field an experienced pack of forwards and a team consisting of at least seven players who were part of the World Cup-winning squad.

Francois Louw was selected on the website www.rugby365.com as one of the players in its Super 14 team of the tournament.

Gio Aplon was a revelation since taking over the number-14 jersey in the Stormers team, and Dewald Potgieter was a hero of Pretoria with his ball-poaching performance in the final on Saturday.

These Springbok heavyweights may not be shoved all over the park as the Boks had been in the third Test against the Lions in 2009.

In fact, we believe the Boks, makeshift team or not, could actually pull off a Test win against an ultra-attacking Wales team.

If they do win, it will provide the Bok “A team” with a perfect platform from which to launch its assault on the rugby world crown next year.