After watching perhaps the best Springbok performance against the All Blacks in recent memory on Saturday, iafrica.com's Rob Peters is happy that after years of watching the Boks implode, the shoe is finally on the other foot.

I cannot remember the last time I saw an All Blacks side so rushed, so physically overpowered and so utterly bereft of ideas. Graham Henry's team went to Durban with one gameplan ? keep the ball away from the tight exchanges at all costs. Unfortunately they did not have a Plan B?

iafrica.com columnist BJ Botha predicted that the All Blacks would take this approach last week, as did most pundits, but one thing BJ said stuck in my mind as the Test in Durban unfolded. "They (the All Blacks) want to get their backs ball and use it out wide, but they will still need to win the ball at the breakdown and the setpieces ? there is no escaping that?" wrote BJ.

The All Blacks were dominated in at the breakdown and setpieces in Bloemfontein two weeks ago and it was clear in Durban that they were still haunted by it. Their lineouts were sloppy over the weekend and to compensate it appeared they felt it necessary to keep the ball in play ? at all times.

'If you can't beat Victor Matfield at the lineouts, just don't give him any lineouts.' In theory it may have sounded a splendid idea, but the reality proved far different for the Kiwis.

The Boks, mindful of the approach their opponents would take, put the ball up high and chased it hard. The All Blacks then tried to run everything back at the South Africans, who in turn smashed them back, rushed them into mistakes and in the end got on top of them physically ? and mentally. Flyhalf Stephen Donald and the back three of Mils Muliaiana, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Joe Rokocoko were the most obvious, but all the players in black jumpers seemed spooked on Saturday.

It was like watching the Boks during Harry Viljoen's first game in charge. "Run everything," Viljoen instructed his Boks. It didn't work then, and it certainly didn't work for the New Zealanders on Saturday! The rain made it worse for the Kiwis, but even on a dry day I do not feel that this game would have gone any other way.

Richie McCaw's side played right into the Boks' hands and my word wasn't it sweet to watch!

I remember the days when we dreaded the All Blacks visiting our shores. Stars like Andrew Mehrtens, Carlos Spencer, Christian Cullen, Jonah Lomu, Dan Carter ? the list goes on ? frequently broke our sides' spirits with laughable ease? There was many a dark day for Bok supporters, the worst perhaps that 50-point hammering at Loftus and a blank sheet at Newlands not so long ago.

There have, of course, been victories for the Boks over the last five years. Under Jake White the rivalry began to even out again. But you never felt the Boks were getting on top. They were going blow-for-blow, but it was never the South Africans delivering the knock-out punch.

This weekend was different.

Led by a giant of the game in John Smit, across the park the Bok outfit of 2009 has athletes with size, skill and, most importantly, temperament. Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Juan Smith and Fourie du Preez all ooze class and with the exception of Du Preez (49) and Fourie (47?) all have 50 or more Test caps to their name.

Pierre Spies, Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Frans Steyn and JP Pietersen are all well on their way to reaching the mark as well. Only Morne Steyn could be regarded as a Test rookie and we all know how that turned out don't we?

For all the criticism we give coach Peter de Villiers he needs to be given credit for standing by the bulk of these players. His masterstroke, of course, was to retain Smit as his captain. It was an inspired move and one that has proved vital to where the team now find themselves.

And that is on the brink of true greatness.

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