The greatest South African rugby side of all time | All Access Springbok Special | RugbyPass

RugbyPass was lucky enough to speak to Springbok rugby legends Pierre Spies and John Smit as they recall their memories of The Lions Tour 2009 series. They recall the intense clashes that took part in that iconic series. They also tell us what The Spirit of Rugby means to them. In proud partnership with @thefamousgrouseuk #SpiritofRugby
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[@TheMikethoth]

That was a hell of a test series. Huge respect to Smit, what a great captain. I think they probably owed us one for 1997. Congratulations to Pierre Spies on his journey.

[@marcusantonius4121]

John and Pierre: You won't get another chance to play the Lions. Frans and Morne Steyn: are we a joke to you?

[@mikezog1030]

The greatest SA side ever was the one playing at the RWC 2011 in NZ - the side that was blown out of the game against Australia by the NZ ref Bryce Lawrence when the next team they would face was NZ. Massive travesty as this team was legend.

[@mikezog1030]

Never have I seen one team dominate another team as much as the SA-AU game, but the rules were only applicable to SA, and Australia could do whatever they wanted.

[@slau330]

That 2009 Springboks team was pretty special. I remember they swept my All Blacks that year in the tri-nations.

[@leonhattingh9216]

Three times consecutively....

[@nepiahemopo1702]

Peter Devilliers, is the first Springbok coach to beat the ABs 3 times consecutively since rugby became professional. Quite the accolade I reckon.

[@joedennehy386]

Deservedly so

[@jmskippy]

Lekker sweet memories!

[@cella6495]

@@nepiahemopo1702 Peter De Villiers just took a good team that was made by someone else and took credit for another guy's work. He was a fool and we all saw that on TV when he opened his mouth.

[@LB_die_Kaapie]

I grew up on this team. Honestly my favourite side ever! Strong in every area of the game!

[@Alias-gy3tz]

Legendary team.

[@Ashton_Pillay]

Spies was an absolute specimen of a man. What an athlete.

[@richardmatatahi4563]

Much respect to these's two greats, great test series that year, great interest Worldwide. especially in New Zealand. We could only draw the test series in 2017

[@rkaylor5769]

The first team I ever saw was the All Blacks, the second was the Boks. I love them both (they’re fond of each other as well) but my heart skips a beat when the Boks triumph. Having said that, that is the best Boks side I’ve seen, but the 2015 All Blacks was just a machine. Even Nigel Owens tipped his hat.

[@joedennehy386]

Same

[@onosaiprime361]

Bok vintage year. Mean team.

[@motaman8074]

You're a legend to me, Jim!

[@the_katman2181]

Great interview. What absolute legends these two are. That 2009 Lions tour was probably the most exciting, momentous sporting series I have ever watched, and not only because of the level of play. A lot had to do with the incredible intensity that both sets of supporters brought to each game, as well as the week in between off the field. Things really built towards that cauldron of energy on the Saturday. It's such a pity that this tour will miss all of that. Still going to be great though, but I would have loved to have the red army here too. Just like the Bok players, the SA fans live for that kind of clash.

[@Faust_ZA]

smit best skipper weve ever had shoutout to jdv and mat as well

[@lifeinperth3066]

Hey Jim, very refreshing to see you respect your old foe's and how you help create a positive brand for the Lions.

[@wayneandrews3128]

What an awesome video to watch on the lead up to this series. Great conversation between some pretty special guys.

[@justinhawker8941]

Thanks for this series been really great to watch as we build up to a fantastic series

[@vickyzz7826]

Jim does such a great job!!

[@at7512]

Wonderful interview gents..

[@just1ninja505]

Was at the game in durban ...... loved it , Lions supporters were great .

[@epeliqatividavetawalu7545]

Great interview..Legends!!

[@mikejoubert4552]

Pierre Spies in the 2nd test was absolutely devastating. SA on the back foot up until Morne Steyn stepped up. And don't forget the impact of Brussouw, on as a sub for what should have been a red card for O'Driscoll's tackle on Rossouw.

[@blaquenguni9249]

You might need to watch that game again. At one point the commentary said Spies had not yet been able to "unleash" himself, coz he was kept at bay

[@business3867]

@@blaquenguni9249 The commentator says that as Spies literally bounces a player 2 metres back.

[@sakabula1285]

Spies was decent in that second test but I do feel he never reached his full potential during his career...We must remember that he had those blood clots on the lungs just before the 2007WC and I dont think he ever recovered 100%

[@sakabula1285]

@@business3867 I remember that...happened just before BOD no arms tackle on Danie Russouw

[@TheMikethoth]

@@sakabula1285 Spies for me disappeared from test matches for long periods I always found. When he was playing well he was devastating but he tended to stay away from the ball for too long.

[@paulmulryne8405]

After some of the nonsense that’s been coming out of the SA media, it’s refreshing to listen to these two humble, proud legends. Great show👍🏻

[@sakabula1285]

Do you remember the nonsense that came out of the British media before the WC final?😉

[@paulmulryne8405]

@@sakabula1285 and the NZ media and most of the media I watched. But yes, idiots like Matt Dawson and Steven Jones are just plain embarrassing. Best to just take the compliment that these two are more what I picture when I think of SA rugby players.

[@sakabula1285]

@@paulmulryne8405 Yes the media is what it is...

[@xylemrays671]

Not the SA media, one journalist, Mark Keohane, he’s a real piece of shit and all he writes is vicious hit pieces which was then picked up by the British press and widely circulated.

[@paulmulryne8405]

@@xylemrays671 good to know 🙂

[@coderedex]

Nice chat and great sportsmanship.

[@MichaelMSwart]

I remember being at the 2nd test at Loftus as an 8 year old Bok fan. Will never forget that day 🇿🇦

[@bapler]

''The greatest South African rugby side of all time'' - Siya Kolisi and his crew: Hold my beer!

[@Tdope768]

You said it!

[@cullyx2913]

Legends on show

[@Patrick8804]

TOP 5 RUGBY TEAMS OF ALL TIME 1/ NZ 1989 2/ British and Irish Lions 1974 3/ SA 1986 4/ NZ 2015 5/ SA 2009

[@siyabongamchunu4342]

I am just a rugby nobody but when I think about the Greatest Springbok team, I am reminded of the Brazilian football team in '82 and '86. Gods among insects but no silverware to show for it. It is the same feeling I get with Nick Mallet's Springboks from '97 and '99. No Bok team has captured my imagination more than that side and it feels like somewhat of an injustice that hey have almost nothing to show for it. But I accept that Jake White's Springboks did the only thing that really matters in the end. A win is a win!

[@Me-ex7qg]

Great side. The Springboks are lucky to beat the All Blacks three times in a decade yet this team achieved that in one year.

[@len2son]

I don't believe any decade has come and gone without the Boks beating the AB's at least three times!

[@Me-ex7qg]

@@len2son 20s, 50s, 80s. Springboks have only beaten the ABs twice in the last ten years

[@richardscanlan3167]

@@Me-ex7qg don't worry,they will change that with the current NZ management. NZ is weaker than it has been for yrs - the current cycle reminds me of the 1998-02 period. The AB's will get beaten this year.... regularly.

[@slagathor54]

@@Me-ex7qg To be fair though, the All Black team of the last ten years was the best team to ever play the game in my humble opinion. I'll take second place to that team :D

[@mrcartease]

Amen Pierre 🙏

[@petrusmeyer7537]

Pierre Spies laughing at 15:10 after mentioning the final kick gives me so much pleasure here in chilly Joburg🇿🇦 fok die souties

[@etiennegreyling6190]

Pierre jou Yster ! Never before a more explosive 8 ,pow!

[@ashishd380]

This is why you never listen to journalists all South Africans respects the lions players journalists just talk crap

[@Faust_ZA]

arguably the best 2 and 8 weve ever had

[@ryanwaugh1]

Come on really? Maybe best captain yes but best 2 & 8?

[@Faust_ZA]

@@ryanwaugh1 OK Duane is a better 8 than spies and you could argue bismark and Marc are beasts

[@Faust_ZA]

@@ryanwaugh1 but like jp pietersen imo was just there he wasn't good however smit brought strength to the set pieces and go line out throws while being a remarkable captain he did his job is what im trying to say bismark just added exceptional tackling and counter play

[@ryanwaugh1]

@@Faust_ZA making a bit more sense. I didn’t like JP either at the time purely cause of his running style. He looked lazy. But now I look back and he was a lot better than I thought. Maybe having one of the best wings in the world didn’t help his cause. In my top 15 Smit would be there for his ability to captain but not as the best hooker by a long way. Spies was good in attack but not defence. He wouldn’t make my top five 8’s.

[@OldSchool-om2zo]

Not for me… I’ll take Bizzy and Duane

[@rudismith1975]

Spartans...true admirable warriors

[@therelaxingandsleepingsoun1140]

John Smith you legend...

[@RLuke103]

What a great side that 2009 Boks team was. They'll always be the "what if?" in my mind if we had started with our Welsh front row rather than Mears and Vickery in the 1st test who got eaten alive.

[@tiaancloete7301]

I wonder who would win a game between the 2009 boks and the 2023 boks assuming both teams are at their peak?

[@Faust_ZA]

francois best kicker in rugby very underrated for the youngest world cup winner

[@josephvanwyk2088]

We miss Pierre Spies, the guy was Superman on the rugby field.

[@chrisg667-1]

I only see one legend

[@OldSchool-om2zo]

The bottle of Famous Grouse?

[@thefobbieii2888]

This is a difficult question to address as I have seen some many great Bok teams as far back as 1970 Boks vs the All Blacks - I am a kiwi! There was some seriously great players in that Boks team - du Preez, Jan Ellis, McCallum, Muller, Nomis, Visagie, Dawie de Villers. That 2009 Lions series was epic BUT for me the most dangerous team and for me the best springbok side is the unknown 80s team with Naas Botha, Danie Gerber, Ray Mordt, Carel du Plesis, Gert Smal, Uli Schmidt, Louis Moolman, Rob Louwv! Interesting - I wonder if that Johann Spies in the 1970s Bok team is any relation to Pierre Spies?

[@frostysfreeway2320]

Dani Gerber is the finest centre I have ever watched play the the game

[@stonewhall]

@the fobbie ll, yes I assume that is his dad, because he mentions elsewhere about him having been a Springbok (his dad passed on before he could see his senior honours) ... Pierre referred to his father in a moving retirement letter: "... My dad who I lost at age 19, but he was my biggest mentor, supporter and motivator. His encouragement was always unconditional and constant, no matter the outcome of my efforts. He taught me a love for God, about greatness and to be different in the way I do things with a focus to hear God’s voice and do his will..."

[@thefobbieii2888]

@@frostysfreeway2320 - The best centre I have ever seen play! Would have love to see him and Joe Stanley go up against each other - a hard core running defensive centre vs a speed stepping attacking centre!!!

[@thefobbieii2888]

@@stonewhall - Was wondering about that! What a great comment honoring his father!

[@frostysfreeway2320]

@@thefobbieii2888 “Smokin” Joe Stanley was a formidable centre. Yes, that would have been a lovely head to head.

[@MeanAzz_13]

*((🏉HEMISPHERE🏉))* *S.H FURY* 🇿🇦🇳🇿🇭🇳🇭🇲 v B&I Lions 🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 4 Test Series Every 8 years Alternating Home Ground advantage every Series. *LET THE WAR BEGIN!!*

[@JK-pn8kn]

Brilliant😭

[@victordastile5204]

That would be awesome to watch 🏈

[@jonathanstewart8106]

I legitimately don't envy Itojes position in this series. AWJ is a great player but I can see him playing the full 80 minutes and Nienaber will rotate his second row after 60 minutes. Poor bastards are gonna have a huge workload on their shoulders

[@arthurclover5990]

never seen a #8 faster and athletic like Spies that Giant was a Beast but play like a outside forward Pierce Spies was a Beast

[@h8evil685]

To my Brother in Christ, Pierre... The Greatest of All Honours is for those whom are Called is to heed to His Calling of his God, especially in these Final Hours.

[@joedennehy386]

That was a great side in 2009, they also won the tri nations by beating the all blacks in New Zealand

[@naidoo307]

Wow I wish we had such tough men in our Wallabies team 😂😂😂

[@flyhigh2074]

Yeah, your management fire all the really good guys and keep the 2nd tier ones... too much political correctness.

[@naidoo307]

Sir fly.....they must have got it wrong with PHO!!!( pocock) 🖖

[@steventheron3217]

Michael Hooper

[@jasonyoung729]

Great to see Pierre Spies again. Us Saffa public can be assholes if you have a quiet season And some of the shit people said on SM. Would they say that to his face

[@Patrick8804]

This was a great team but I think the SA team from the mid to late 1980s just shades it.

[@joemoer.]

I agree. The Springbok team which played against the Cavaliers in the 80s were in my view even better than the 2009 team. The Bok team of the early 50s would also be strong contenders.

[@marcelohendrix6139]

when black people couldn’t play? no thanks

[@SafferPOV]

Such a pity that the Red Army won't be here. Correction, there won't be any spectators due the Covid (Level 3 lockdowns just announced)

[@npd6225]

Spies was awesome. Can’t believe he was a winger before a number 8!! But, seriously, he was on the gear before he came back to rugby. Why is steroids so rife in rugby in SA? Is their a lot of pressure on schoolboys etc?

[@Schaapkraal]

What makes you think it is rife in SA rugby? Maybe SA just has a better way of detecting juicers

[@africanmamba1021]

Its called genetics .. cant take juice for that .

[@npd6225]

@@africanmamba1021 na

[@africanmamba1021]

@@npd6225 ya

[@SafferPOV]

With the Lions there will be no 2nd level players on the bench. Rassie's Bomb Squad with have to work

[@hughmalaba5713]

pierre spiesssss

[@stuarth43]

Whisky in GIN glass, mate get your act together. nice rugby vid tho Jimbo

[@jacqloock]

Best team of all time would’ve been 2009 Boks coached by Rassie instead of pieterally nobody

[@bristolboer2910]

Just imagine how good the Boks could have been if they had a proper coach like Rassie instead of Pieter de Villiers! 😳 Boks were on autopilot, luckily they had great leaders and players back then.

[@GreatCoffie0]

Pierre jy is n yster...

[@Dazza_JHB]

Lions getting smashed

[@ernienicholas1812]

South Africa is the 2nd best team ALL TIME!

[@africanmamba1021]

1st , best ever .

[@ernienicholas1812]

@@africanmamba1021 funny

[@pieterdevenish9651]

Pierre is not a Minister just to state it clearly. He is a Pastor at an independent church that doesn't require formal theological studies just before we all get ahead of ourselves... Ministers usually belong to a larger church body and requires 6-7 years of studies with a formal theological degree at an acknowledged university. As a Minister I think its important to protect the integrity of what that title means and the holiness of His church through proper doctrine. Not the mumble jumble false teachings they commit at a place like CRC giving themselves titles that no one in the proper theological world would acknowledge.

[@japrosper1258]

Saffas can't sing,?? really John?

[@pierre-emmanuelrichard9324]

A shame the coach was not up to the task though...

[@kesivan]

What ... South Africans can sing...We win awards all over the world for singing. Well perhaps Smit was referring to the majority of the SA people who go to Rugby matches ! LOL

[@joedennehy386]

Of course he was referring to singing at the rugby test, did you think he was talking about church? You are commenting on a rugby channel? Are you unintelligent?

[@kesivan]

@@joedennehy386 Shame are you having a bad day my boy. Trying to prove to daddy that you a clever boy! LOL..Take a deep breath and practice your singing. The majority of South Africans can sing. Perhaps not the demographic that used to support the Springboks even as recent as 2009. I might be unintelligent but I am still much smarter than you! OK my little one time for you to go to church and practice your singing or STFU... Hugs and kisses to mom for me, Ok ;)

[@joedennehy386]

@@kesivan a testimony to your intelligence. Hilarious. Perhsos englush is not your first language. I am having a great day. Just sitting down to watch Nz v India in the final of the cricket test championship, and i see a comment disagreeing with your greatest ever captain, and then saying perhaps he meant at the rugby. Well what channel are we on? America's got talent? You embarrass yourself.

[@kesivan]

@@joedennehy386 Looks like you got triggered there my boy. Don't be racist my dear... I am not from India. haha "Perhsos englush is not your first language" talk about english being your first language... Learn to spell LOL! Remember to kiss mom for me and make sure your room is tidy! Looks like I am living rent free in your head!

[@joedennehy386]

@@kesivan mwahahaha

[@kmac7854]

Still wouldn’t beat the all blacks

[@xylemrays671]

Silly comment, the Boks held all the trophies that lions year.

[@rkaylor5769]

@@calvingrabers Boks!👊💪🇿🇦

[@gvr6079]

And in the same year The Bulls beat The Chiefs 61-17 in the Super Rugby final and The Crusaders in the semi final. 😉

[@steventheron1165]

Hahaha! You clown. They downed the All Blacks 3-0 that year.

[@rkaylor5769]

The ABs beat the Boks more times than not, but no one beats the ABs more than the Boks. But in that year, SA owned international rugby.

[@blaquenguni9249]

Spies was a useless 8th man. Jake White fell out with Big Joe Van Niekerk and Joe became blaclballed from the team in his prime. Spies was a super athlete, but not a great 8th man. He was more famous for his muscles and speed. Vermulen and Marcell Coetzee were the youngsters who brought on a whole new dynamic to our back row. Spies was flanked by Brusow and Juan Smith. 2 of the most underrated Soirngboks of the 21st century in my opinion

[@sakabula1285]

Bro to say he was useless is a bit over the top..Go look at some Bulls games during that period.I also frown that a South African will call any Springbok useless

[@RRSmurf]

He didn't reach his potential whatsoever, and Duane Vermuelen is a waaaaay better player and 8th man... Doesn't make Spies 'useless'..

[@blaquenguni9249]

@@sakabula1285 as an 8th man for the Boks he offered nothing. Went missing for 60min in big games . Continued getting selected coz the only competition he had was Kankowski. Breh I lived through that terrible era, we're lucky we had Dannie Russow coming off the bench to do some enforcing. Spies was utterly useless at 8th man , I stand by that statement. Just like Jon Smit was utterly useless in 2011 and kept a freak Bismarck Du Plessis on the bench for his own selfish reasons onsetad of retiring in 2010

[@sakabula1285]

@@blaquenguni9249 Dont agree with you and yes I lived through that time as well...Im 55..Spies wasnt a great but he wasnt useless..

[@sakabula1285]

@@blaquenguni9249 John was playing prop to accommodate Bizzie..

[@71bootneck]

Spies. Speciman.