Former Springboks player Bismaark du Plessis shared his opinion on the rivalry between the Springboks and the All Blacks. He noted that all the exciting events in this fifty-year confrontation make it so significant.
The 42-year-old du Plessis, who now farms in the Free State, recalls the All Blacks tours, saying that the 1996 series was epic for him during his youth. He also expressed satisfaction at having participated in a clash with Dan Carter, whom he greatly respected.
The format of this great rivalry includes four test matches, which is a long series potentially ending in a 2-2 draw. Du Plessis believes such an outcome would be the worst. He emphasized that such long series attract a lot of interest and excitement, and he would like to see a level of public support comparable to the Lions tours.
When asked about the ranking of Springboks players, besides Malcolm Marx, recognized as World Player of the Year, du Plessis evaded the question. He stated that he is not a selector and has never liked 'coaching advice from the sidelines' during the game. In his opinion, the most important thing is that the Boks play well and win.
He added that it is impressive to be able to make ten changes to the team while maintaining a high tempo. Du Plessis insists that hierarchies do not concern him; what matters much more is that every player possesses resilience and ferocity.
Du Plessis is confident that Rassie Erasmus's team has another level of strength to dominate Australia next year. He believes that winning three World Cups in a row would be the perfect culmination of success, although winning four World Cups is already a brilliant achievement.
