In the sport of boxing, of which I am an avid fan, whenever a boxer is holding all 3 major titles being the WBA,WBO and WBC belts, he or she is referred to as the undisputed champion of the world.
Having a look at the current springbok team, they hold the World Cup Trophy, beat the British and Irish Lions, the majority of bok players have won the S14 title twice in 3 years and now, they are ranked as the number one rugby team in the world, according to IRB rankings. This argument was quite huge on this site roughly 10 months ago and a lot of detractors were stating that the world cup is only once in every 4 years therefore the best team in the world at that time was New Zealand.
My question then is this, now that the Springboks are the world champions and ranked number 1 in the world, can we say they are the Undisputed Champions of the World?
My logic says yes we can.
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16 comments
Manny says:
Jul 29, 2009
They need one more thing; to win the tri-nations.
Lets face it, Southern Hemisphere is miles ahead of Northern Hemisphere rugby. If you win the tri-nations then you have a very strong and legitimate claim to being the best team on the planet.
Lets talk again at the end of the 3N Guru, if the Boks win that then they are undisputed world champs. I have a feeling however that Australia may throw a spanner into the Bok works.
Kambas says:
Jul 29, 2009
although i am a die hard springbok fan, i have to agree with manny, yes they have achieved the number one ranking but you get the feeling that it is very tentative and the margin between them and the ABs is miniscule and could be reversed with one loss, so as sad as this makes me i can’t support that claim until they win the tri nations proper.
sorry boss.
Guru says:
Jul 29, 2009
LOL, and the goal posts shift yet again……..So i take it Manny that if Aus win Tri Nations, then they are the best team in the world, even if they are ranked 2nd?
So Kambas, who at the moment would you say is the best rugby team in the world? Certainly not New Zealand after losing to France and SA? Maybe Australia, even though they are currently third on the rankings?
Manny says:
Jul 29, 2009
No Guru, if Aus win tri-nations they will simply have made a case for being the best team in the world. Right now it is a toss up between the AB’s and the Boks.
Going back to that argument we had some months back; being the best team in the world in my view means being the best consistently. Just because the Boks won last week doesnt make them the best team. If they win a tourney like the 3N where you play the best sides week in, week out, coupled with a Lions win and the RWC then you become the best team in the world.
Consistency Guru. Thats what makes a team number one.
Kambas says:
Jul 29, 2009
i agree that the boks are guru, but its not really legit without the trinations and i think deep down you know it too bud. its like they are but they are not its difficult to articulate.
Guru says:
Jul 29, 2009
Manny, my argument is not based on the Boks beating the All Blacks Manny, it is based on the fact that IRB rankings reward consistency. What other measurement rewards consistency better than the IRB rankings? THis has been brought up by the fact that when the boks were 3rd this time last year, you were stating that the All Blacks were ranked 1st and thus were the best in the wolrd. And this mind you, was when the only trophy they had was Tri Nations. My point is when the All Blacks are ranked 1st and holding Tri Nations Trophy everyone is happy to call them the best in the world. But when the boks have the World Cup and are ranked 1st on the rankings, they still have to win Tri Nations to be the best in the world. I smell a bit of double standards here gents. The All Blacks have never held the World Cup, Tri Nations and Number 1 ranking EVER, and yet the boks must do this before they are the best team in the world. How do you explain that Manny and Kambas?
Manny says:
Jul 29, 2009
The Boks got the number one ranking at the weekend Guru. Let them keep it for a spell before we call them the undisputed number one team in the world. Drop the phrase “undisputed” and we can agree. Right now, they are the best team in the world. But should Aus or the All Blacks win the tri-nations then it is very easy to see why that claim can be disputed.
Guru says:
Jul 29, 2009
LOL, okay I can live with that. Manny admitting the boks are the best in the world is good enough for me. But once the boks have won the Tri Nations, would you be so kind as to give them their rightful tittle of “Undisputed” World Champions…………………………………….
Ron says:
Jul 29, 2009
What I have realised about Bok supporters is that they are so quick to be over the moon when their team is ranked Number 1 by the IRB but when the All Blacks are forever IRB Number 1, Bok fans say those rankings do not matter because we have the world cup.
Lets see for how long the Boks can remain IRB number 1 first before we just to using the term Undisputed, and for the Boks to remain Number 1 on the rankings I am sure they have to win the Tri-Nations which will not be easy.
Guru says:
Jul 29, 2009
It’s just sweeter when the World Cup Champs are also ranked the current World’s best team. It’s a very rare occasion that not many nations get to experience so forgive me for being a little too excited…….lol. I guess I still maintain though, being ranked number 1 in the world means nothing if you do not have a world cup to show for it………………………….So I am sure the boks will accept the number 1 ranking as an addd bonus but they will hold the World Cup as still being much more important. I am sure right now Graham Henry would swop all those years of number 1 rankings for a world cup.
Manny says:
Jul 29, 2009
As I am PdV will swop the number one ranking for the tri-nations trophy
Manny says:
Jul 29, 2009
sorry, thats meant to start “as I am sure PdV….”
Guru says:
Jul 29, 2009
LOL Manny, PDV would not swop something for something he can get for free……….boks are taking the Tri Nations and the Number one ranking from the All Blacks……….GO BOKKE!!!!!!!!!
Mozie says:
Aug 3, 2009
Ask Robie Deans…
BP says:
Aug 6, 2009
yup, i’ll have to agree on this one gents, boks are ranked one in the world and deserve to be there. no excuses from the ABs, done and dusted. there’s very little they can do now to stop the boks from winnning the trinations, aussies dont look strong enough to stop them. thus, come end of trinations, baring injuries, boks should be world champs, trination champs and ranked number one, dont know many other teams that can claim that…well done!
Daniel says:
Aug 20, 2009
er um excuse me BP
we are not only the:
World Champs
Super14 Champs
Tri Nations Champs ()
No.1 on the IRB rankings
we are also the World Sevens Champs!
hehehe…is there any dispute?
or like they say in Gladiator “…is there anyone else?”
Hier Kom Die Bokke!!!