As South Africans enjoy their moment in the sun and the Rugby World Cup trophy tour kicks off to a weekend long celebrations of back-to-back World Cup victories, the cold reality is that as soon as this is all over, the hard work begins again to keep ahead of a chasing pack of rugby nations that want to knock the Boks off their perch.
But the reality is that, with good planning and foresight going forward, the Springboks can continue to unleash a new generation of players that should be able to take Siya Kolisi’s team’s legacy forward and continue to dominate world rugby.
While many may have questioned some of the selections and tactics that the Rassie Erasmus-Jacques Nienaber combination has made over the past six years, the proof is ultimately in the pudding and there isn’t a rugby nation worldwide that would not want back-to-back World Cup victories.
What makes it even more remarkable is that they have done it while having to battle a pandemic where they lost a year of test rugby, and a Covid-filled and totally bizarre British and Irish Lions series, as well as a biobubble Rugby Championship in between - matches that were built on rugby survival rather than developing in a World Cup cycle.
In the end what has made the Boks stronger than other nations in the World Cup window has been precisely that - their ability to adapt and get better in a shorter period of time. Rassie Erasmus had 18 months to get the team into a World Cup-winning shape before the 2019 World Cup and thanks to Covid and the Lions tour Nienaber had pretty much the same to do in a similar amount of time.
FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT
But in so many respects the future looks a lot brighter than after the World Cups in 2007 and 2019 where the Boks brought Bill - or Willem as he should now be known - home to spend four years in South Africa.
Because what the management team has done in that time has been just short of remarkable. Going into this World Cup the Boks possessed more depth than ever before and while a number of the double Cup winners will start to assess their future in the next few years and quite a few probably won’t make the next World Cup, there are a host of youngsters to follow them up.
From the rise of Manie Libbok into a Springbok force to Damian Willemse’s impressive performances at the back, to Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie, there is already a wealth of youth coming through in the backline. Add in the likes of Henco van Wyk, Stedman Gans, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and a host of others and there are enough young players coming through to make you believe there is a core that will take this team forward.
Grant Williams and Jaden Hendrikse both have World Cup winners medals, but nobody would bat an eyelid if someone like Embrose Papier, Sanele Nohamba or any other young scrumhalf comes through the ranks and stakes a major claim.
Jasper Wiese is the heir apparent to Duane Vermeulen’s throne and while we know Pieter-Steph du Toit will make tackles until he is 85, the Boks do need to find replacements for the workhorses like him, Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith, who all three have been absolutely vital to both World Cup victories.
LOTS OF LOOSIES
Hopefully all three will be around for some time to come but there are a host of loose forwards that are hoping to stake claims. Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Phepsi Buthelezi, Nama Xaba, Ben-Jason Dixon, Cameron Hanekom, Francke Horn and even both Vincent and Emmanuel Tshituka (if they sort out the neverending passport issues) will be able to fill that void.
Salmaan Moerat will grow into a giant if he can keep injury free, while Ruan Nortje is also not off the Bok radar.
A few years back losing Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe looked unthinkable, but with the rise of Ox Nche and others there is no longer a concern. While both Kitshoff and Malherbe should still be around, as should Trevor Nyakane and Vincent Koch, players such as Gerhard Steenekamp, Mornay Smit, Wilco Louw, Neethling Fouche, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Ntuthuko Mnchunu are all around.
So is Johan Grobbelaar and Joseph Dweba at hooker.
There will be many more players coming the ranks over the next few years and many of the current crop may stick around longer if needed.
But as the golden trophy returns to South Africa, the future is so bright - to coin the 80s hit - we all gotta wear shades.