As Chasing the Sun reaches its climax this weekend – the final episode will screen on Sunday at 6pm – it is worth remembering how the rivalry between the Springboks and England played out, and how the victory was not just one for the ages, but one that the Boks would have savoured for other reasons as well.
Having to “suck it up” after the Farrell incident in London, the Boks had their own way of showing the absurdity of it all. A leaked video of Erasmus showing Esterhuizen how to tackle – not the normal way but high and illegal – underlined how bad the decision was. It was a moment that would be a reminder to Bok fans that the Boks would not forget easily.
And as they outplayed an England side that started as massive favourites and were anointed champions before the game began, the Boks knew they were playing for something bigger than themselves. They were playing to unite a country that desperately needed it.
Still, the barbs kept on coming. Danie Rossouw’s epic tackle on Marco Cueto was relived in the build-up, with Cueto claiming he had scored the try. Twelve years after the fact, and despite television replays clearly showing his foot being on the touchline, it only served to write the script as to why England had to win.
But the Boks unity, their belief and their sense of purpose was bigger than this. It was the culmination of picking themselves up when the world was laughing at them and believing they could be the best in the world.
The sense of disbelief from England was palpable afterwards when they refused to wear their runner-up medals as the presentations were being made.
It started with Maro Itoje who refused to wear his, and Kyle Sinckler ripped his off shortly afterwards.
And while the disappointment would have been massive for the side at the end of the game, many fans saw it as a sign of disrespect and being sore losers.
It did only serve to make the victory sweeter for the Boks, and a reminder that the disappointment of Twickenham a year earlier could safely be buried forever.