Joel Stransky recalls the formidable 1995 New Zealand team vividly, "The complete package. Good scrum, good second rows, unbelievable centres in Frank Bunce and Walter Little. Andrew Mehrtens was kicking everything, Zinzan Brooke dropping goals from all over the show. And then there was Jonah on the outside."
The scene in that Johannesburg hotel room would become pivotal. After South Africa's narrow win over France in a rain-soaked match, the Boks, led by coach Kitch Christie, gathered, uncertain of their strategy against the All Blacks. This uncertainty lingered until Christie, after reviewing the game footage repeatedly, delivered a simple yet profound statement.
"Okay, we can beat them."
Stransky emphasizes the impact of Christie's words, "We believed in Kitch," he says. "What he said was gold. He knew for us to beat that New Zealand team we had first to believe we could. We had to win the mind game."
Stransky and his team then meticulously prepared, crafting detailed plans and contingencies, which fostered a deep, almost subconscious belief in their potential to win. This belief was crucial as they entered the final, ultimately achieving an iconic victory that resonated far beyond the tournament itself.
Reflecting on the broader implications of their triumph, Stransky considers it a significant moment in rugby history—challenging the myth of New Zealand's invincibility. "That day in ’95 maybe set a tone going forward," he muses. "We’ve always come through tough environments, but that victory maybe started the explosion of the myth that the All Blacks were unbeatable."
The rivalry between South Africa and New Zealand has only grown since then, marked by memorable clashes and mutual respect. Stransky explains, "And I think that’s like our relationship with the All Blacks. We need them to be strong. They were so good for so long, and we chased them and aspired to be as good as them." "We want this to be that great a series that it could go either way before, hopefully, at the end we come out on top. We want to win a series that is noteworthy because it was tough and hard, fought fair and honest, with everything our shared history represents."
As anticipation builds for their next encounters, the legacy of those five simple words from Christie continues to inspire the Springboks. It's a testament to the power of belief and the enduring challenge posed by a worthy adversary, elements that define and enrich the storied rivalry between these two rugby powerhouses.
