• ⁠Rassie Erasmus has raised the bar, not only for the Springboks but for all international rugby.

• ⁠The Southern Hemisphere giants, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina are shaping up to give the Springboks one helluva run for their money in the coming year.

Most of the international sports commentators from around the world agree that Rassie Erasmus has had a massive effect on the game since he took over the Springboks in 2018.

His influence on South African rugby has been huge, but his influence can be seen with almost all the sides, especially the Southern Hemisphere teams.

➤ Australia have improved so dramatically in the last year that it is hard to remember how truly pathetic they were at the World Cup. It’s unbelievable that one man, namely Eddie Jones, could do so much damage.

Those poor guys he took to France arrived in Paris with their shoulders slumped and never looked up until they were back in Australia, having crumbled to Wales by 40-6.

New Zealander Joe Schmidt, by no means an obvious choice as coach, has turned the team around in the face of some serious opposition, not only on the field, but also from Rugby League which is big in Australia, and Australia’s rugby union management who seem to have a strong desire to self-destruct.

Their performance against Ireland where they came within inches (literally!) of scoring the upset of the northern tournament, will very likely be looked back on as the day Aus-rugby finally turned the corner and ditched the memory of Eddie Jones once and for all.

➤ While half the world was clambering for Scott Robertson to take the team to the World Cup, New Zealand Rugby insisted that Ian “Fossie” Foster, should be the man in charge. There is no proof either way, but that one-point loss in the final to South Africa may very well have been a one-point victory.

It’s been an up-and-down year for the All Blacks since Scott “Razor” Robertson took over, but they have been getting better. Their lack of finishing, somehow giving up on winning in the last 20 minutes, has been plaguing them but they are almost beyond that. You can’t win unless you believe you can win, and the boys from New Zealand are just about there. Like Australia, the All Blacks have very possibly also turned the corner.

➤ It’s no accident that Argentina beat Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in 2023.

Coach Felipe Contepomi was a flamboyant flyhalf who played as if his life depended on it then came off the field as if nothing mattered. He has put together a team who play and act like him, and they are getting the results.

Just like South Africa, Contepomi’s players are hardly ever together in Argentina, but despite that, they are improving with every game. Most importantly they are channelling their passion and aggression into winning games instead of winning boxing matches after the whistle has blown, and it shows.

And it’s all coming together at exactly the right time. The Rugby Championship is going to be the greatest ever.

➤ South African Rugby Championship schedule.

South Africa versus Australia, 16 and 23 August in SA.

South Africa versus New Zealand, 6 and 13 September in NZ.

South Africa versus Argentina, 27 September (in SA) and 4 October (in Argentina).

Pictured above: The Springboks.

Source: Springboks/X