Over the weekend, the Springboks stunned the All Blacks with a well-deserved 21-19 win in Gold Coast to reclaim the number one status in the world.

The Proteas will be departing for the World Cup and they are in a tour group with Australia as well as the reigning ODI and T20 world champions, England and West Indies.

The Proteas skipper, Temba Bavuma, says they admire the resilience of the Springboks.

“There is a lot of inspiration that can be drawn from the Springboks.

“As much as how they performed in the Rugby Championship didn't go according to how they wanted it to, but you always had that sense of belief that they could win at any time with that fight that they have.

“It's more than resilience that they have showed over the years and I guess it is something that all sportsmen in South Africa would admire.

“As the Proteas, we bank on our resilience, but we know that the people back home in South Africa want us to do it on the big stage in the big moments.”

While the Springboks are the reigning and three-time rugby world champions, the Proteas have never won a senior world cup since readmission into international sport in 1991.

South Africa will face Australia in Abu Dhabi on 23 October.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport