Mighty Springboks continue to set the standards

CAPE TOWN, Dec ‌19 : South Africa started and finished 2025 as the world's number one-ranked side, and their extraordinary depth and monstrous scrum suggest they will be the team to beat at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.

The Springboks retained the Rugby Championship title, inflicted a record test defeat on old foes New Zealand, completed comprehensive wins in France and Ireland, and racked up a record score against ailing Wales in Cardiff.

It was not a perfect 12 months, however, with a second-half capitulation at Ellis Park against Australia, who claimed a rare win in Johannesburg, and a poor performance in defeat by New Zealand as they failed to ‌break an 88-year Auckland hoodoo.

But having used over 50 players in 2025 South Africa managed to ‌win 12 of their 14 tests, most easily, all the while bedding in a more expansive playing style under attack coach Tony Brown which secured a historic 43-10 win in Wellington over the All Blacks.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu emerged as the new star, racking up the most tries ever by a Springbok flyhalf with nine between September and November alone, surpassing Morne Steyn and Handre Pollard.

It was the continued evolution of their scrum, however, no matter who made up the forward pack, that will sound alarm bells for rivals. When the Springboks needed a penalty, the set-piece almost always ‍delivered. 

Hooker Malcolm Marx won World Rugby Player of the Year, though loosehead prop Ox Nche was their most potent scrummager and but for an injury in the second half of the season might well have won that award.

IRELAND SCRUM DISMANTLED

The way the Springboks dismantled the Ireland scrum in Dublin was one of the most powerful performances ever seen in the test arena.  

Having tied coach