Ken Borland

Bongi Mbonambi has been a key figure in the rampant Springbok pack that has spearheaded their hold on the No.1 ranking in world rugby, and Sharks coach Sean Everitt says the hooker is raring to go for his new team, his presence rubbing off on the rest of the squad.

Mbonambi will play his first game for the Sharks since leaving the Stormers in the rousing United Rugby Championship clash with the Bulls on Friday night at Kings Park and the veteran of 48 Tests has been roaring out encouragement to his team-mates all week .

“Bongi has a lot of experience and he sets a really good example,” Everitt said on Thursday. “He was fully prepared when he came to training and hit the ground running.

“As an all-round hooker, he’s one of the best in the world and certainly brings a competitive edge to our team. He really motivates and encourages the youngsters.

“Our scrums and lineouts have gone well this week and Bongi brings a lot of confidence which rubs off on the others, so he adds a lot of value,” Everitt said.

Although the frustration of having so little control over the rugby calendar is very real for Everitt, he has been a happy man this week with his Springboks back and a small crowd allowed to support the KwaZulu-Natal team at Kings Park on Friday night.

“A lot of preparation goes into games, so it has been frustrating to have all those cancellations, but we control what we can control and we are just happy to be playing.

“What is even more exciting is that spectators are going to be able to watch, it’s the first crowd we will have at Kings Park in a very long time.

“I was very confident that our Springboks would play this week too, especially after last week’s match was postponed, and we are very happy to have them. We’ve picked a formidable team, even though not all of our strongest side are available,” Everitt said.

Amongst the other key performers on Friday night will be Siya Kolisi, who Everitt described as “probably the form loose forward in world rugby at the moment”, and Lukhanyo Am.

Am has exuded immense composure and skill at outside centre for the Springboks this year, but he will be playing at inside centre against the Bulls. Everitt believes the captain will display some of his other many qualities.

“Lukhanyo is playing at 12 because we believe Jeremy Ward plays his best rugby at 13. Lukhanyo did a really good job for us in the 2017 Currie Cup at inside centre, he excelled in terms of his playmaking ability and he can still lead the defence from 12. He will also be alongside a young flyhalf in Boeta Chamberlain,” Everitt said.

Despite a spectacular loss to England in their last match of 2012, it was clear throughout the year that world champions New Zealand remain the benchmark in world rugby.

Their unbeaten run – extending to 20 Tests from the start of last year’s World Cup – came to a shuddering halt in London as England beat them 38-21, giving some hope to the chasing pack that are busy growing sides for the 2015 showpiece tournament.

It was a fabulous end to the year for the Red Roses after promising much but delivering little in losing three times to the Springboks and once each to Australia and Wales.

South Africa were also busy building a team, having lost the likes of John Smit, Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha, Jaque Fourie and Danie Rossouw. Their new coach, Heyneke Meyer, seemed to have developed a sturdy, hardy outfit as they ended the year with an unbeaten northern hemisphere tour, but there were few flashes of brilliance from the Springboks and the rugby they played was generally dull.

Australia endured a troubled year, beset by injuries and speculation over the future of coach Robbie Deans, but if the crop of talented youngsters they have reach full bloom, then they will certainly be a major threat at the next World Cup.

Argentina immediately showed the benefits of joining New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship (replacing the Tri-Nations) for the first time, and the game can only grow in that country.

France, under new coach Philippe Saint-André, are also developing rapidly into another formidable outfit.

Wonderful attacking flair was once again the hallmark of the All Blacks’ success, but their game was also based on a steely defence and the core of experience that ran through the side was also a great help. By the end of the year, Tony Woodcock (96), Keven Mealamu (102), Owen Franks (45), Richie McCaw (116), Kieran Read (48), Dan Carter (94), Ma’a Nonu (76), Conrad Smith (66), Cory Jane (41) and Piri Weepu (69) had 753 caps between them, compared to the 431 the entire Springbok team had for their last Test of the year, also against England in London.

But South Africa had won – albeit by just a point – in the rain at Twickenham the week before against the same England side that then put the All Blacks to the sword and the other indication that they are not impossibly far off the world champions came in Dunedin in September when they tied New Zealand down for long periods. They would ultimately pay for Morne Steyn’s poor goalkicking and Dean Greyling’s lack of discipline in that match, going down 21-11.

In their return meeting in October, the iconic FNB Stadium would prove to be no protection from the attacking brilliance of the All Blacks as they swept to a 32-16 victory in their most impressive display of the year. Without the amulet of forward dominance, the Springboks were made to look second-best and the anti-Meyer chorus grew louder.

But even the All Blacks’ attacking brilliance is no protection from defeat if they lose the forward battle, as England showed two weeks ago when their pack put their bodies on the line in such impressive fashion.

The good news for the Springboks is that it is easy to see their pack developing into a world-class unit. Despite the absence of Bismarck du Plessis for most of the year through injury, Adriaan Strauss stepped in and enjoyed a superb season in the middle of the front row. Jannie du Plessis manfully filled the tighthead berth throughout the year, but there is no lack of loosehead talent with Tendai Mtawarira, Gurthro Steenkamp, Heinke van der Merwe and Coenie Oosthuizen all in the frame.

Eben Etzebeth showed signs that he will fill the considerable boots of Bakkies Botha, while, despite several injuries, the loose forward stocks still look strong with Francois Louw, Willem Alberts, Marcell Coetzee and Duane Vermeulen all having an impressive year.

It is among the backs where the future looks cloudy for the Springboks.

Burly inside centre Francois Steyn only played half of the Tests in 2012 due to injury, captain Jean de Villiers slotting into the number 12 jersey in his absence. With problems inside of them – Morne Steyn was in poor form at flyhalf, Johan Goosen was then injured before Pat Lambie eventually played in Britain and Ireland – there was little inspiration from the backline when it came to attack.

In Meyer’s defence, his first year in charge was always going to be a conservative one. In 2013, he should be able to build on the positives of 2012, most notably some incredible defensive displays, to ensure the Springboks are no longer left in the wake of the All Blacks.

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-12-12-rugby-2013-the-all-blacks-will-still-be-the-team-to-beat