Springbok rugby was paid the ultimate compliment when Kraken Opus, the leading publisher of luxury volumes in the world, announced that a Springbok Opus will be produced - a first in the world of Rugby Union.

Mick Sawyer, the Marketing Director Kraken Opus, said at the launch of the 'Springbok Opus' in Cape Town on Wednesday, that it is a "privilege and honour" to add the Springbok to their esteemed stable.

It means the Springbok brand will become part of the most celebrated and iconic brands - with the Opus collection a series of the largest works ever produced on selected iconic events, organisations and personalities.

To put this in perspective, it means the Boks are ranked alongside iconic brands such as the Super Bowl, Formula One, Ferrari, Disney and Manchester United - to name but a few.

In Rugby Union terms it means the Boks, being the first, beat off the 'challenge' of the British & Irish Lions and All Blacks.

Sawyer told a media gather that their mission is to "produce definitive publication - tell story in unique and definitive way -featuring the finest writers, stunning images displayed on an epic scale and presented in a beautifully-designed, luxury format".

The book will be half-a-metre square and weigh about 37 kilograms, contain about 800 pages and a minimum of 50 percent never seen before content.

"The Springbok Opus is going to be the first Opus published in the world of rugby and is our privilege and honour to be able to tell the Springbok story right from the beginning up to date," Sawyer said.

He said production time will be roughly two years and will be more like producing a movie than your average book - costing in the region of #1.5-million ($2.5-million / R20-million). It will sell for about #2 000 (R26 800) and the No.1 edition will be signed by many iconic Springbok players and auctioned off for Nelson Mandela's charity.

When they recently auctioned the Manchester United Opus in Dubai, it went for $1.6-million (R12.6-million).

Asked why they opted for the Springboks, Sawyer said because the story is so epic.

"We thought there is a story that needed to be told," he said, adding: "If you look at the stable of other Opus partners - Formula One, Ferrari, Disney, Manchester United - the Springbok story fits right in with those brands and I think we can do it justice."

He said, it helps that the Boks are the No.1 in ranked team in the world.

Sawyer also revealed that to avoid being elitist, they will produce derivatives of the Opus in the market.

There will be an Opus Midi (two thirds of size of the Opus) and also a 'touch and turn' digitalised version of the Opus.

The digital version will have all the content that is contained in Opus, plus voice overs from players and video clips behind the scenes clips. According to Sawyer that will be the same price as buying a DVD, but they will produce just 1000 copies of the Opus, a limited edition book in the true sense.

Andy Marinos, the acting MD SA Rugby, described it as a "huge honour" that the Springbok brand has been chosen as the first rugby brand for an Opus project.

"It is very fitting that we are going to be the first Rugby Union team to have an Opus produced on them," Marinos said.

"South African rugby and the Springboks have a very colourful and proud history.

"There is a significant story that can be told - right from the 1800s right till this moment - and it is going to a be wonderful showpiece for SA rugby."

Springbok captain John Smit described it as "humbling" and said the important thing is that it is about a lot of "other very important people" that made up the history of Springbok rugby, not just the class of 2009.

"It is humbling to have a company like that create a book like this, it makes you realise that you are part of a pretty important story," Smit said.