Peter Bills: 'Final prize' tantalises South Africa

In South Africa the unions may be flexing their industrial muscles, Zimbabwe remains a festering sore on the nation's northern border and unemployment continues to rocket.

But for a segment of society, none of that matters this morning. South Africa have added the Tri-Nations title to their Rugby World Cup crown, their IRB Sevens title and their Super 14 title. Life for the Republic's rugby-mad citizens is once again well nigh perfect.

No faulting the manner in which they did it, either. Two worthy tries were scored, the first started and finished by Fourie du Preez, the world's greatest halfback, and the second another masterly example of poaching by Jean de Villiers, who snaffled Dan Carter's ambitious pass and scooted off to the New Zealand posts like some furtive 8-year-old, his swag full of apples pilfered from the orchard.

Add on the goal kicking of Frans and Morne Steyn and, fact was, New Zealand did well to get as close as they did. The Springboks were generally superior in most phases, especially the lineouts, and had just enough left in the tank at the end to hold on for their first Tri-Nations title since 2004.

Yet perfectionists always prefer to look ahead rather than bask too long in their own glory. And these Springboks know one last, unique achievement, never yet managed in the history of the game, remains for them to clinch. No country has yet won the Rugby World Cup and defended the trophy successfully four years later.

That is now the chief imperative, the No 1 ambition of these South Africans. Not until they have offered the Webb Ellis Trophy to all other countries in 2011 in New Zealand and won it again will John Smit and his side believe they have truly achieved everything possible in the game.

Lock Victor Matfield, again a key man on Saturday as the All Blacks' lineout gradually self-destructed, admits the last, final prize is the most tantalising of all. "It would be a wonderful achievement, really something we would make history by achieving. The fact that no one else has ever done it shows how hard it is to do.

"I don't believe you can ever sit back and be satisfied with what you have achieved ... It is only when you really do something no one else in the history of the game has ever managed that you are entitled to feel deeply satisfied with yourselves."

These are the standards the Springboks are now setting the world. From the searing pace of Bryan Habana to the power and pace of Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers, to their phenomenal goal kickers Frans and Morne Steyn, they have a quiver full of arrows behind the scrum.

But then there is that magnificent forward unit - John Smit's uncertain scrummaging the only exception. To have Juan Smith, Danie Rossouw, Jannie du Plessis, JP Pietersen and Ruan Pienaar in reserve is the envy of every other test-playing nation.

So others must drool at such resources. But one factor nags at the South Africans' psyche. This is 2009, and two more years must run before the next World Cup. Have the Boks peaked too soon?

Ask the New Zealanders, world experts at that. It is the sole element that may induce uncertainty in the Boks' future planning.

* Peter Bills is a rugby writer for Independent News & Media in London