Former Wallabies scrum-half Nick Phipps has highlighted the “defining moment” for the Springboks ahead of the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup, after the South Africans went back-to-back as Rugby Championship title winners.
After bringing the All Blacks’ three-year reign as TRC winners to an end, the Springboks have won the last two titles. It’s the first time the Boks have successfully defended their TRC crown, having beaten Los Pumas 29-27 last weekend at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
It’s another important marker for the Boks, who are continuing to build towards the showpiece event in just two years on Australian soil. South Africa are looking to become the first men’s team to win the World Cup three times in a row.
Am on returning Boks
In TRC, the Boks bounced back from a shock 38-22 loss to the Wallabies in Johannesburg and a defeat to the All Blacks at Eden Park to win the title. As Phipps explained, that result against the Wallabies was a turning point for the Boks.
Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit were the only forwards who featured in the run-on side in rounds one and six. An entirely different backline was named, including Cobus Reinach, who was Player of the Match against Argentina.
“The way the squad has changed since that first game. I think, looking back on this, it’s a really defining moment in the Springboks leading into the next World Cup, the direction they’re going to go,” Phipps said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.
“Rassie’s obviously got his old boys that have got in there before, he started with them, gave them the opportunity. There were a few little mistakes and bumps along the road there, and then he started to filter in this new generation of players coming through.
“You’d argue that the 23 now is stronger than the 23 they started with and they’re probably going to be the ones leading into the next World Cup in their next cycle.”
As for Phipps’ countrymen, the Wallabies brought their Rugby Championship season to a close with a 14-28 loss to the All Blacks in Perth. That was the Wallabies’ 11th consecutive defeat to their Bledisloe Cup rivals, which is a new record.
Tane Edmed gave the Wallabies a first-half lead, with the fly-half knocking over three penalties inside the opening 20 minutes. Australia led for 16 minutes after Edmed’s third shot at the sticks, before Quinn Tupaea swung the match’s momentum New Zealand’s way.
Jordie Barrett delivered a falcon try assist to set Tupaea up for a crucial score, and the midfielder had a second only a few minutes later. It was still a close game at the half, with the All Blacks leading by just eight points despite scoring three tries to none.
Damian McKenzie extended the All Blacks’ advantage to nine points with a penalty around the 60-minute mark, before Wallabies inside centre Len Ikitau made it a one-score game yet again. But the All Blacks hung on for the win, with McKenzie converting another penalty and George Bower scoring a try.
“I think they really went back to that New Zealand of old, punishing mistakes, physical up front,” Phipps explained.
“They would have known that this was a bit of a danger game for them. There was a lot of emotion in there from the Wallabies, players coming back – Will Skelton coming back to lead that physicality.
“Their ability to punish the Wallabies every time they made a mistake was damaging.
“I thought both teams played really, really well in the conditions. It was wet, it was rainy, it was windy. I thought both teams threw everything at it, it wasn’t just a boring game.”