Planning this World Cup win since 2018: Nienaber

Jacques Nienaber

Defence, discipline and set-piece mastery again proved key as South Africa ran out back-to-back winners of the Rugby World Cup in France. The Springboks, with iconic captain Siya Kolisi to the fore, beat New Zealand 12-11 in a gripping final for a record fourth title, the All Blacks reduced to 14 men on 29 minutes after the sending off of skipper Sam Cane for a high tackle.

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It was the Boks’ third successive knock-out victory by a single point: they edged hosts France 29-28 in a thrilling quarter-final and England 16-15 in the semis thanks to a last-gasp Handre Pollard penalty. Pollard hit four penalties in the final to underline the importance of an accurate goal kicker and cap an amazing recall to the Bok squad after missing the initial cut through injury.

Coach Jacques Nienaber and director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, who was in charge when South Africa won in Japan four years ago, continued their effective use of a forwards-heavy bench, the so-called ‘bomb squad’, but insisted they were not “geniuses” when it came to selection. “From 2018 we thought we had the ability to win the 2023 World Cup,” the departing Nienaber said, with the Boks now facing a rebuild into the next World Cup in Australia in 2027, but sure to rely on the bedrock of their gameplan.

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