Springboks explode Total Rugby onto the world stage

Springboks (17)37, Wales (14)21

The purists will scream foul, Wales redemption, but this was champagne rugby of the total variety. The Springbok class of 2008 taking rugby where South African soccer had dared not go before, unleashing the incredible ball skills and raw talents of this country.

1970s and Holland manager Rinus Michels introduced the world to “Total Football” — where one player leaves his position another assumes it — effectively that the Dutch masters could come at you with anyone from anywhere at any time.

Peter De Villiers, Dick Muir and Gary Gold introduced the world to the rugby equivalent at Loftus Versveld, and how we loved it.

Locks running the ball with the backline, Jean de Villiers scrumming down at flank, Luke Watson popping up at scrumhalf, you name it, it was there and wasn’t it a joy to behold? They didn’t bend the rules, they took the coaching manuals and used them as fuel for a fireside chat to load up warriors with a message: tell rugby all bets are off, there’s been a paradigm shift.

This is Total Rugby.

Kick off Wales and for 17 minutes regardless of field position, the Springboks are an unstoppable juggernaut threatening to crush the men from the Valleys. Even a penalty on three minutes by Stephen Jones is shrugged aside as tries by Jean de Villiers (12 minutes) and them Ricky Januarie threaten to unleash hell on Earth (14-3).

Wales of Loftus Versveld are made of sterner stuff than the variety found down Bloemfontein way. Stung by a week of insults, they struck back with venom — a lineout piece from the training ground knocked back to Gareth Cooper near the touchline and he’s through and untouchable (14-10). On 34 minutes Shane Williams, having thrown Bryan Habana a dummy in the first test, repeats the exercise, but for the Pretoria matinee he does four Springboks to score what must rank as one of the greatest tries by a winger of all time. Wales head the world champions 14-15 with halftime looming.

Butch James won’t be having any of that, and sends them in with a penalty 17-15

A break that seemed an eternity for me — would sanity return? I prayed to all things holy that it would not.

In the first 20 – odd minutes of the second half, it seemed as if the conservatives had voted out the loony party as the sides traded three penalties, two to Wales and one to South Africa. Wales were 61 minutes in and leading 20-21, the unthinkable had become thinkable.

Then General James slotted another for 23-21.

Springbok noses back in front. Would they pin Wales in their half and run out the clock?

Hello! The insanity was back — Percy Montgomery is held up just short on a tap penalty and the man for all seasons, Jean de Villiers, crashes over for his second try. Springboks 30-21 in front, which unleashed the tales of the unexpected all over again. Backs and forwards everywhere as they sought to crush Wales. This Welsh team, to their eternal credit, never took a step backwards and tried unleashing waves of attacks with Shane Williams prominent.

In the end it was Bismark du Plessis right on the hooter who completed the scoring with a try confirmed by the TMO.

This was breathtaking stuff.

And then we were left to contemplate whether this insanity was going to stand up to the other Southern Hemisphere giants in the Tri-Nations, or would we revert to the conventional?

Whichever they choose, this is the most exciting performance I have ever witnessed by a Springbok side. At times they were so sublime and unpredictable I’m not sure that even they knew what was coming next. It was the Brazil of rugby and how brilliantly they all performed.

The gods of South Africa!

South Africa: Jantjes, Chavhanga, Jacobs, de Villiers, Habana, James, Januarie, Mtawarira, Smit, B Botha, B Botha, Matfield, Watson, Smith, Spies.
Replacements: Du Plessis, Steenkamp, Bekker, Kankowski, Conradie, Steyn, Montgomery.

Wales: Hook, M Jones, Shanklin, Roberts, Williams, S Jones, Cooper, Jenkins, Hibbard, R Thomas, Gough, A Jones, R Jones, J Thomas, Delve.
Replacements: T Thomas, D Jones, Evans, D Jones, Fury, Bishop, James.