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No country can be more rugby-mad than South Africa. With a team like the Springboks and a coach like Rassie Erasmus, they have good reason to be. The Springboks represent rugby excellence and prove teamwork and dedication can inspire and overcome.

Over the years, the Springboks have dominated World Rugby and there are several reasons why they are among the greatest rugby teams of all time.

1.    Ranked No. 1 In World Rugby

As it stands, the Springboks are currently number one in rugby, leading with 94.54 points. The points system works by way of exchange every time two teams play against each other. The team that has lost has a certain number of points taken away, while the team that has won gets awarded those same points.

Many factors are accounted for, such as rankings before the game starts, the difference in score at the end of the game, and where the game is played.

In fact, it is similar to sports betting, as bookmakers fix their odds according to home-ground advantage, players’ forms and how they play when they’re away. The ranking system will ‘handicap’ a team if they are playing at home. In the Rugby World Cup, however, points are doubled.

2.    World Cup Champions Four Times Over

Their journey to victory began with a win in the final against the All Blacks in 1995, the first time the Springboks played. After twelve years, they added to their success by beating England in the 2007 final to win the title. They did it again in 2019 by beating England again by a score of 32–12.

SA faced the All Blacks again in the 2023 World Cup final, in a match that was heavy with 1995’s memories for both teams. The Springboks had the ghosts of the greats like James Small, Francois Pienaar, and even Mandela on their backs.

No one came to lose, with tensions running high all round- not just for those who had money riding on it. Bookmakers favoured New Zealand with odds ranging from 2.70-2.75, while they had SA sitting similar to England at 4.50. Despite all that, the Springboks rose to reclaim the title for the fourth time and proved that they were’ Stronger Together’.

3.    Overcoming Sporting Boycotts

Even though they helped make the Rugby World Cup, the Springboks didn’t play in the first two years (1987 and 1991) because of foreign sports boycotts against apartheid. In 1995, that famous final was more than just a sporting event; it was a turning point in building a country after Apartheid.

This team also represents the resilience found amongst their nation’s people. Each time it mattered most, they rose to the occasion, and they did so with grace and humility.

4.    Dominance in the Southern Hemisphere

The Springboks have won four times in the yearly Rugby Championship, which used to be called the Tri-Nations. They are unique in that they have won both the Rugby Championship and the Rugby World Cup (RWC) in the same year.

While the SA rugby team has impressive achievements on the field, many spectators are drawn to their ability to rise from the ashes and win their fans significant amounts of cash by betting on them. This is done through bookmakers analyzing historical data, team form, and player performance before offering their markets, odds, and favorites.

A perfect example of how the world was gripped by rugby fever during the 2023 World Cup is looking at a country like Canada, where rugby has a union and competes but is still only moderately popular compared to hockey or the NBA.

According to experts at bettingtop10.ca, the lead-up to the RWC saw a surge in betting activity, where fans wagered on results and player performances, to name a few. The Springboks’ recurring appearance at this prestigious event added a layer of excitement to each wager.

5.    The Nation’s Pride

The truth is, this team is more than rugby. They represent a country still fighting the remnants of an oppressive past. They unite all South Africans with each victory and celebration

and with something no amount of money can buy—hope. The heartaches of the country are forgotten for one brief moment, and that is the true romance and legacy the Springboks leave behind.