They played with so much ferocity and purpose that we could watch in awe how our team were thrashing their opponents.

To suggest that I was a proud South African on Saturday is an understatement. I was an ‘extra proud South African’

Hougaard and Pieterson are not afraid to attack the advantage line. They displayed a natural flair when they have ball in hand. Hougaard is a game breaker.

Jacque Cronje a very strong runner. He has the ability to touch down in the corner with very limited space. He has proved this too often now.

Heinrich Brussouw and Bismarck were colossal.

Danie Rossouw was him old self again, setting up the one wave of the attack after the other. He deserved to be named ‘man of the match’

The Bokke played as a cohesive unit and naturally took the ball out wide. Fiji is no minnow team; they play their rugby hard and played against top rugby playing nations. What we achieved on Saturday was unthinkable because we barely scraped through against Wales. It showed that we can play fifteen man rugby. It showed that we are not afraid to take the ball out wide. It showed that we have character. It showed that we have flair. It showed that we are a force to be reckoned with, but most importantly it showed why we are the defending world champions.

The Wallabies will be more dangerous following this loss – I don’t think they will win but their form for the last 3 years is to win a couple, lose one, win a couple. The loss was on the cards but I still think they are too young to win the comp. And Deans is a good team manager but he is a **** coach. Aussie have made a serious mistake but not putting Ewen in that role.

Blacks still the favourites but lets hope the Boks ruin their tournament. If not us then I’m happy for anyone else to do the same.

Ruan Pienaar is a chop and shouldnt play again at the Cup.

And o ad injury to insult, we also have the best kicker on the planet….

“it will rank as the greatest ever Bok achievement”…no it won’t Keo. Peaking for 3 games in a row in some one-off do-or-die encounters is easier than winning the Tri Nations back in ’98. Neither did the ’95 win compare to that either, for similar reasons (+ home ground advantage).

If winning the WC is *all* that counts then we should concede the Samoa game. But please let’s not quake in our boots at the frightening prospect of playing an *actual* contender before the final if we aren’t prepared to sacrifice some reputation along the way. Haven’t we been doing that all year already anyway? 40-7 vs NZ anyone?

Personally I’d love to see Flo and Brussouw together as well.

Spies should go look at the French no. 8 for some lessons on good play. He wasn’t bad on Saturday but with his speed he should do much much more. Same for Habana, go have a look at how Odwa got himself involved …

On a player by player basis is what Australia, and New Zealand much better than what we have?
1 Beast and Gurthro are amongst the best looseheads out there
2 Bismarck the best hooker interantionally
3 Jannie dup – been solid more than anything and at least a match for what Oz has
4 Bakkies or Rossouw easy matches for Vickerman or Thorne
5 Matfield – easily as good if not better than Horwill and Ali Williams
6 Brussouw as good as Pocock and I´d say currently better than McCaw
7 Burger – are Elsom and Kaino better? I doubt it – at least on a par
8 Spies – here we lose something against Radika Samo or Kieran Read but with Alberts and Rossouw as bench options we gain some parity again
9 Fourie du Preez – if he picks up more form he is an equal to Genia and better than Cowan even out of form
10 M Steyn – not as elusive as Cooper or Carter but a solid kicking option
11 Habana or Houghaard – with Ioane out and possibly SBW on wing its out there
12 If we keep F Steyn at inside centre i´d say Nonu and McCabe have a good match
13 Fourie vs Fainga or Smith? Parity at the very least
14 JP Pietersen vs Kahui or O Connor? depends on how JP plays on the day but I guess this one we concede
15 Lambie as opposed to Dagg Muliana or Beale – we are close but a bit behind again I´d say.

But with a forward pack of equal potency we could well take either of our southern counterparts. Our main differences are weaker fullback and one wing and weaker flyhalf and eighth man. We somewhat make up for those deficiencies with Bismarck, Matfield, Brussouw and the strength of our bench.

Its not impossible. If you ask me South Africa also have the drive to do it. It would be a big feather in the cap of the seniors to win 2 RWC in a row. A very powerful way to go out. I think they will have the passion.