And yet it happened, the Australians ran in six unanswered tries from all parts of the field and the Springboks looked dazed,  confused and totally bewildered as to how to contain the Aussie onslaught.  One commentator said “this wasn’t a rugby match this was a blood bath that Springbok rugby will not recover from.”

The Springbok fans were staggered, a whole generation had never witnessed such a humiliation and with the 2007 World Cup only months away doom and gloom bedarkened the country like never before. And yet by the time the World Cup came around the Springbok’s would be unbeatable, there wasn’t a team on the planet that could prevent them becoming Champions of the World. The team hadn’t changed much from the humiliation against the Aussies and neither had the coaching staff and yet the impossible became a reality.

After the mortification of observing Scotland sleep walk past the Springboks last week that same feeling of bleakness sifted down on the country causing many a fan to shake their head in frustration with the players and coaches alike and questions abounded as to whether we have the players and coaches to avoid anymore blushes against England this weekend.

To be fair the World Champions will go into this match as the underdogs with a revitalised England team who are the clear favourites after beating Australia in devastating style. There are not many pundits that will give the underdogs a chance, and why should they after the Scotland fiasco.

And yet it is so difficult to wake up on Saturday and not believe that the Springboks can win, it seems to go against the grain of the true Bok fan to imagine that their team can ever lose. Whether we will be wrapped up like an Eskimo as we take our seat in Twickenham or sitting in front of the TV with the braai about to be lit,  the sight of the Springboks on the field is enough to reignite the belief that a victory is only 80 minutes away.

The Springboks might well be the underdogs when they face England, but for me I will be shouting for a Springbok triumph right to the end . Remember it was Mark Twain who once said something so true about dogs, “It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.” One can’t help but believe the 15 Boks on the field will be playing with all the fight they can muster.

Prediction: Springboks to win 16-12.