Since their stunning triumph in Japan four years ago, turbulent seas and gale force winds threatened to push Springbok rugby rock bound.
They were in peril, but not necessarily of their own doing.
The Covid-19 pandemic wreaked havoc with the South African rugby economy and the Boks through inactivity and financial constraints felt it acutely.
Thankfully, amid a climate of on the field inactivity, there was no resting on laurels off it.
The mothballed world champions were part of a rugby ecosystem that was on the brink of collapse. The series against the British and Irish Lions had to take place and the Boks had to win it.
They got the job done but in many ways, it was ugly. It was a series, when not contested in the trenches, decided in the air by men jumping, or kickers raising flags.
The Boks could not develop their game as the accent was firmly on just getting the job done.
Since then, however, they have undergone not so much revolution as evolution.
The coaching team found themselves in all familiar territory — preparing their squad for the RWC against the clock.
Devising a blueprint and getting the right players to enforce it became top priority.
They may have made significant sacrifices at the altar of squad building and base broadening in the last two years, but the Springboks have arrived at this RWC, perhaps not as favourites, but the one most feared.
Their results over the last two years are not commensurate with what resides in their squad.
There is no doubt the Boks are a greater attacking force with players like Manie Libbok, Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Grant Williams delivering a fresh dimension.
The recent Rugby Championship, compared with their three warm-up matches, provide examples of what is possible when they put their best foot forward.
The Boks may have been buffeted for much of the first two years since the 2019 triumph but they arrived buttressed at the 10th Rugby World Cup.
They are in much calmer waters. In fact, their base is at the entrance of a bay that harbours the French navy’s main fleet.
They arrived with depth and a game plan, though weathered, that has received critical updates.
Sure, they still have, in their DNA, building blocks like solid set pieces, physicality, rock solid defence and a well thought out and executed kicking game, but they’ve also moved on.
Back in 2019 the game at its higher levels was increasingly being shaped by one team’s ability to shut the other down. Defences were winning the day, but there has been a significant shift since.
Bok coach Jacques Nienaber noted that back in 2019 teams could still grind out a win with stout defence and good game management.
There has since, however, been the realisation that the game had moved on and that they need to move too. Failure to act would have smacked of arrogance.
They have found more ways the advance the scoreboard.
The Boks average 32.6 points a game this year. If you take that back across their last 10 matches the needle moves slightly to 32.8.
The average in the previous 10 stands at 26.4. There is no doubt the Boks are a greater attacking force with players like Manie Libbok, Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Grant Williams delivering a fresh dimension.
Nienaber noted with the RWC now upon us “this is something you worked for and towards for four years”.
This is of course his last engagement with the Springboks before he takes up a position on Leinster’s coaching staff.
While he remains aware of the big and significant moments the game often throws up, he does not necessarily yield to them.
“To be part of a RWC is great, but to be part of three is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Nienaber before he relented to the methodical, science driven, box ticker within. “But I am literally just thinking of the Scotland game now.”
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