THE GREATEST RUGBY TEAM EVER!

How RASSIE ERASMUS built a Springbok dynasty - and transformed our sport

- JON CARDINELLI

THE SPRINGBOKS have never been stronger or more dominant than they are right now. Since Rassie Erasmus was appointed head coach in 2018, the Boks have won back-to-back World Cups, a Test series against the Lions and three Rugby Championship titles.

The 73-0 thrashing of Wales in November boosted South Africa’s win record to 86% - their best return for a season since 1998.

Under Erasmus and a crack coaching staff, which includes out-of-the-box thinkers such as Tony Brown and Felix Jones, the Boks favour an all-court game plan that few have been able to match.

Plans to develop the wider squad with a view to the 2027 World Cup have gathered momentum, with Erasmus selecting 50 players (including eight debutants) over the course of 15 games in 2025.

And yet the push to bolster the group's depth across the various positions and age profiles hasn't compromised short-term goals, such as a Freedom Cup title win in New Zealand, a victory against Six Nations champions France or a first win in Dublin since 2012.

News that SA Rugby has extended Erasmus’s contract to the end of the 2031 World Cup won't sit well with rivals who are looking to catch the world’s No 1-ranked side.

The Boks will try to become the first team to win three consecutive World Cups at Australia 2027. While grizzled veterans like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit and others are likely to move on after 2027, there’s evidence to suggest that the Boks will continue to grow in the next four-year cycle. Rising stars such as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Canan Moodie and Ethan Hooker will be in their prime by the time the Boks touch down in the US, while many of the Junior Boks who won the 2025 U20 World Cup will be ready to make the step up to Test level.