The 2007 World Cup winners are no match for the mighty Boks of ’09, according to SARugbymag.co.za readers.
The frontrunners in the quest to find the best Bok side of all time, the 2009 outfit downed Nick Mallett’s 17-win Boks of 1998 in the opening round before bashing the 2007 world champions in the second round.
Featuring a core group of holdovers from the triumphant World Cup team in France, the 2009 side signalled South Africa’s return to rugby dominance after a roller coaster 2008.
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The Boks’ period of dominance also served as the launch pad for an emerging star in Morne Steyn, with the young flyhalf churning out multiple match-winning performances, while Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira reinvigorated an ageing front row and budding flanker Heinrich Brussow made the role of the jackal his own.
It doesn’t get much better than beating the British & Irish Lions on home turf, but the Boks made sure they went one better in ’09, whitewashing the All Blacks 3-0 en route to claiming the Tri-Nations title.
Photo: Duif du Toit/Gallo Images