Former Springbok captain John Smit has hailed a “colossal” effort by Siya Kolisi’s current team, who backed up their 2019 Rugby World Cup triumph with a series win over the British & Irish Lions.

Smit, who led the Springboks to a 2007 and 2009 World Cup and Lions double triumph, said the feat of the current team was made special by the challenges they faced, which included being prevented by the Covid-19 pandemic from playing any Test matches in 2020.

The Springboks followed up victory in the World Cup with a tense series win over the Lions, sealed by a 19-16 victory in the third Test in Cape Town this past Saturday.

“We came back from the World Cup in 2007 and wanted to back up the legacy to show the world and our supporters that we could do it again,” Smit said in summing up the series on SuperSport.

“The only way to do it is to pitch up and beat the best of the north.

“This team has done that as well in unbelievably difficult conditions. They’ve had Covid, they’ve had isolation, they’ve been in a bubble. All of these challenges.

“They haven’t been able to develop new players or new strategies because they’ve missed out on two seasons because of the pandemic.

“This is a special group. It’s a Springbok team that continues to give hope to South Africa. They continue to perform, they leave everything out there.”

Smit said the leadership of Kolisi was crucial, especially after he had to overcome the “sadness and frustration” of losing the first Test.

“It’s a special story and he’s been able to add on to that,” said Smit, highlighting the way Kolisi gave credit to others.

“In his first interview he gives kudos to Eben Etzebeth because he understands the impetus and importance of that last scrum.”

The scrum earned the Springboks a penalty when they were desperately defending their lead in the dying seconds.

“For me that’s a great leader. He understands the value of the people that he’s responsible for and he gives them and the leadership group all the credit. He’s an incredibly humble person.”

Another former Springbok captain, Victor Matfield, added his praise.

“Siya was under pressure after the first game,” said Matfield.

“People said he’s not playing well, he’s not leading the side well, that [Lions captain] Alun Wyn Jones had his number. Then he came through last week and again today, leading from the front.”

Smit, Matfield and other former players agreed that the series could have gone either way.

“The most cruel thing about sport is the little margins that make such a huge difference,” said Smit.

Jeremy Guscott, who sealed a Lions series win over the Springboks with a dropped goal in 1997, said he believed the Springboks deserved their victory.

“Over the three matches the Springboks were very consistent, they were the better team in the end. The Lions can be generally proud but it wasn’t quite good enough in the end.”

Guscott said the Lions might look back at their decision to kick for touch, trying to score tries instead of securing three points from penalty goals. “It was a big, brave call. The Lions played rugby, they gave it their best shot but the Bok defence did very well.”

South African-born former Ireland and Lions forward CJ Stander said with hindsight that he thought the Lions should have kicked for goal.

“Those three penalties, that is nine points. I am a big believer in Test rugby you take the points.”

© Agence France-Presse