BLOEMFONTEIN - For a gauge on how South African media responded to the Springboks' 28-19 defeat of the All Blacks here yesterday, readers needed to look no further than a headline in Afrikaan newspaper Rapport.
"Die Bokke is Beste", was plastered over a giant back page photo of first five-eighthRuan Pienaar diving over to score.
It needed little interpretation, revelling in the Springboks' reclamation of the International Rugby Board's No 1 world ranking which the All Blacks have held for the last year.
That was a constant theme throughout the Sunday newspapers, with Kevin McCallum of The Sunday Independent contending that a new order was being established at the top of the world game.
"It was a significant step as the Springboks strive to assume the mantle that many had believed they would assume after the magnificence of 2007 and the World Cup victory," McCallum wrote.
"The team that Jake (White) built and that Peter (De Villiers) took over is the most settled, the most experienced in international rugby.
"That they didn't kick on in last year's Tri-Nations and finished last in the tournament can probably be put down to the transition of having a new coaching staff moving in."
There wasn't much criticism of the All Blacks although Mike Greenaway in the same newspaper joined those who felt the visitors were lucky to still be in the game at halftime, rescued by Pienaar's poor goalkicking.
"The All Blacks should have been put away in a first half of Springboks irresistibility," he wrote.
In the Sunday Times, Luke Alfred said the Springboks had lifted to another level since their series defeat of the British and Irish Lions last month, "playing fast, direct and immensely powerful rugby".
"They could happily have played for another 10 minutes in the first half, so shell-shocked did the All Blacks look."
