The Springboks are aiming to make some history by winning the Rugby Championship back-to-back for the first time.
The Springboks are continuously trying to break new ground and will be chasing a bit of history when they battle it out against the Wallabies in their first two Tests of this year’s Rugby Championship in Johannesburg and Cape Town over the next two weekends.
The Boks are aiming to retain the title they won last year, winning five of their six games in the competition, but are expected to face a stiffer test this season, with an improved Australia and a two-game tour of New Zealand on the cards.
A good start will be key to their hopes of lifting the trophy again, and Ellis Park is the perfect ground to do it, with the Boks having won 10 of their 11 encounters there, and the Wallabies’ only win coming back in 1963.
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus was keen to point out the little targets that they had set for themselves in this year’s competition, to help them try and reach their target.
“We have never won the Rugby Championship or the Tri-Nations (previous iteration) back-to-back. That is how difficult it is. We set ourselves mini targets like that,” explained Erasmus.
“We have also never in history beaten Australia five times in a row, and they have never won at Ellis Park, so that will be their aim.”
Professional era
Erasmus was obviously talking about in the professional era, as the Wallabies have won at Ellis Park as previously stated, while the Boks have also beaten them seven times in a row on two occasions, between 1953 and 1963, and between 1969 and 1971.
The coach is also well aware of the challenge that the Aussies will bring after they impressed in their series loss against the British and Irish Lions, just losing the second game after a last gasp try at the death, and winning the third, which will give them a lot of momentum and confidence.
“In reality, they beat the British and Irish Lions in the last game. We would love to win the Rugby Championship, that would be fantastic, but we must first beat Australia,” said Erasmus.
“We have never won it (Rugby Championship) back-to-back, but if we say it out loud, people say we are windgat (arrogant),” added the coach.
