Lucky Maree
Many Springbok fans will agree that 19 Sept 2015, that dark day when Japan beat South Africa, was a low point in South African rugby. At the time, many wondered if Springbok rugby would ever recover.
Four years later, South Africa won the World Cup in Japan.
Nobody doubts that All Black rugby, statistically and emotionally, is at the lowest point it has ever been and it is very hard to think that the All Blacks can win on Saturday, when they face a rampant Springbok team at Emirates Airline Park.
As much as the rugby world knew that Heyneke Meyer, the man in charge when South Africa lost to Japan, had to leave via the backdoor in order for the Springboks to recover, it is also obvious to everybody, except the management of New Zealand Rugby, that Ian Foster has to go.
The All Black team announcement on Thursday showed a number of changes, but is it just a rearrangement of the deck chairs on the Titanic? How much difference will it make if Beauden Barrett has moved to the bench while Richie Mo’unga wears the number 10 jersey?
The safe bet is predicting that the All Blacks will fare no better (and probably worse) than in Mbombela and that this will be Ian Foster’s last match as coach.
The Springbok management seems to have done a good job up until now and it is hard to imagine that they will get caught with their pants down on Saturday but what if those magnificent All Blacks players on the field decide they are not ready to surrender?
Some of the best players in the history of the game will take to the field on Saturday. And there is just too much class for them to stay down forever. We have seen that even the best players in the world need a good leader, but can these players reach within themselves and overcome the “handicap” that is Ian Foster?
Don’t forget that in the professional era, New Zealand have won 42 tests to South Africa’s 16. And very often, the road to disaster (as Foster’s road plunges downhill) has some high points.
Could this be that one final blaze of glory for Ian Foster?
All Blacks match-day 23:
1.Ethan de Groot, 2.Samisoni Taukei’aho 3.Tyrel Lomax 4.Sam Whitelock 5.Scott Barrett
6.Shannon Frizell 7.Sam Cane 8.Ardie Savea 9.Aaron Smith 10.Richie Mo’unga 11.Caleb
Clarke 12.David Havili 13.Rieko Ioane 14.Will Jordan 15.Jordie Barrett 16.Codie Taylor
17.George Bower 18.Fletcher Newell 19.Tupou Vaa’i 20.Akira Ioane 21.Finlay Christie
22.Beauden Barrett 23.Quinn Tupaea
