The 2009 Boks were undoubtedly better than their 1998 counterparts, according to SARugbymag.co.za readers.
Polled on who the better Bok side was, readers feverishly voted for the 2009 outfit as they comfortably bested Nick Mallett’s charges from 1998, despite his side going 17 Tests without defeat.
An undeniably talented squad that featured the likes of Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Morne Steyn, and Jaques Fourie, the Boks were at the peak of their powers and a force to be reckoned with.
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A series victory over the formidable British & Irish Lions opened the Boks’ Test season back in ’09, but they went one further, making history as the first team to whitewash the All Blacks 3-0 en route to claiming the Tri-Nations title for the first time in five years.
The Boks finished the year on an impeccable note as reigning World Champions, the number one ranked team in the world, and winners of the Freedom Cup, Mandela Plate and Tri-Nations tournament.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images