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Okay, I'm going to say it. π³πΏπΏπ¦π
The comparisons between the 2015 All Blacks and 2023 Springboks was always going to happen when South Africa went back-to-back (Bok to Bok).
While it is a bit pointless, as they played in different eras, let's compare notes anyway.
The 2015 All Blacks were dominant like no other team has been between 2011 and 2015, and yes, they retained the Bledisloe Cup each time, went on an 18-game winning streak and won every TRC (except for one in 2015).
But IMO, Test rugby was nowhere near as competitive then as it has been since probably 2016/17. The All Blacks were in a league of their own. They had a golden generation (which is saying something for them), and the rest of the world just hadn't caught up tactically and skill-wise.
When they went back-to-back in 2015, the only team that really troubled them were the Springboks... A team that had some old dogs playing tactics and a game plan that was probably five years too old.
But as I say, everyone else has caught up, and for the past six years or so, we have been told that Test rugby has never been this competitive, and really, it's true.
While they weren't really troubled en route to their second title in a row, South Africa were.
They missed an entire year of international rugby, at least 13 Test matches to build depth and add experience, thrown directly into a British and Irish Lions Series - which they won, something the 2015 All Blacks didn't have to contend with.
Then they started testing depth and blooding new players, attempting to make up for those lost Tests the year before. While also innovating and creating the best defence the game has ever seen, which no other team has been brave enough to replicate.
At the same time, only suffering a heavy defeat once maybe... Yes, no TRCs, but that is a beast of its own and incredibly difficult considering the tired schedule regularly favoured NZ and AUS.
The 2015 All Blacks were sexy and scored cool tries, but both sides had that grit of never giving in and always believing that they can win regardless of their setback.
Then when it came to the actual World Cup, the Boks lost their star outside centre, and star hooker and still managed to play the top six-ranked sides in the world en route to winning the bloody thing. Not to mention in the final, losing another hooker and being brave enough to select 7 forwards on the bench and just one back - and those scrum call from a mark!
If you have to press me for an answer, both teams are incredible and arguably their country's greatest ever. But for me, being the victors in the most competitive Rugby World Cup ever during the most competitive period of professional rugby, the 2023 Springboks take it.
#RWC2023 #SpringboksRWC