Boks' toughest World Cup ever?

Sunday 23 Aug 2015

Smit, who played in three World Cups and led the Springboks to their second title in 2007, believes that if Heyneke Meyer's team go on to win the tournament – given how competitive the game is at international level and the potential draw for South Africa in the knock-out stages – it will be more impressive than both the 1995 and 2007 victories.

Smit's team beat Fiji, Argentina and England in the knock-out phase in 2007, but this year the potential opponents after the pool stages are one of England, Wales or Australia in the quarterfinal, and New Zealand in the semifinal if they get there.

"If this team of ours wins this World Cup it will be South Africa's greatest World Cup victory, it is the toughest.

"The reality is that any one of those teams that gets through and plays us in the quarters has got the ability to beat us, and the All Blacks," he said.

Smit drew parallels between the build-up to this World Cup and the 2007 and 2011 campaigns he was involved with – pointing out that Jake White's team endured some tough times in 2006, while both White and Peter de Villiers had to deal with injury concerns to experienced players.

Boks' toughest World Cup ever? "I think we had our hiccups the year before, but bearing in mind that is where we had our injuries as well. In 2006 we were smashed, most of our big players were injured and that is where we stuttered.

"Jake took a gamble on me when I tore my hamstring against Australia at Newlands. I still went on the overseas warm-up tour and I couldn't even jog there.

"I was one of the guys that he took a chance on and I strapped that thing tight and by the Final I didn't have to strap it anymore.

"Our drama really will start from the play-offs. We have got a nice pool to get ourselves match-fit and get our structures in place and our confidence very much like how we were set in 2011.

"If you remember we didn't play too many warm-up games and we got fit after sneaking through against Wales. We got better as the games continued, so it is very similar. However, when it starts in the quarterfinals it is basically three World Cup finals in a row.

"I guess these are the risks that you take and the difficult decisions that Heyneke will make," he said.

While there has been a lot said about the style of rugby that the Springboks should play at the World Cup, Smit pointed out that Meyer's team have shown the ability to adapt their game which gives them more options heading to England.

"I think they have shown us all sorts of styles. They started very conservative, if you think about three years ago, and they have probably looked the most attractive in the first two Tests of the Rugby Championship this year.

"In between there have been different approaches to different games and on end-of-year tours they have shown some different approaches as well. To be fair we have come away with two unbeaten tours.

"If you look at what has worked in the history of the World Cup, probably a more structured or conservative – for want of a better word – is the go-to tactics. But there is going to be times when this team needs to play, if they meet Australia or England or New Zealand they are going to need to score points as well.

"I think they have been clever in being able to show all those pieces, but every team that is going to the World Cup – All Blacks included – are going to be more conservative there," he added.