(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
A 2-1 series win for the Springboks over the British and Irish Lions avenged the disappointment of 1997.
In many ways however, this series failed to live up to expectations, was blighted by off-the-ball incidents, and littered with inconsistent officiating.
The Springboks seem to be very happy and satisfied with a 2-1 series win, even though they were disgraceful in the third test.
The bad memories of 1997 can now be replaced by a series win, and it is eerie how similar the 2009 campaign was to 1997, with the roles reversed.
In 1997, the Boks were clearly the better side, and outscored the Lions by nine tries to three.
But poor goal-kicking let them down and the Lions managed to win the first two games even though they were outplayed. The series win was sealed with a Jeremy Guscott drop goal. In the dead rubber, the Springboks won by 19 points.
In 2009, the Springboks won the first test, albeit unconvincingly, won the second even though they were outplayed for most of the match, and sneaked home courtesy of better goal-kicking and a hero in Morne Steyn. In the dead rubber, they were beaten by 19 points.
The First test started with the Springboks looking extremely focused and professional. They executed the same strategy that won them the Rugby World Cup in 2007: dominate set pieces, kick the goals, and make no errors. It is not pretty rugby, but it can be mighty effective in tight contests.
The Lions, meanwhile, looked to play the more expansive game, on the hard fields of South Africa.
It was the Springboks who dominated the first 60 minutes, sticking to the pattern they know best. With a 19-point lead, the game was effectively sealed. However, a mass substitution strategy by coach Peter de Villiers robbed the Boks of their momentum and the Lions sniffed an opening.
They showed great composure and determination to stick to their running game and the Boks simply held on for dear life. The reintroduction of John Smit with a few minutes left was imperative to regain composure, play the percentages, and grind out the victory.
Although the Boks could seemingly destroy this Lions side by playing their game, any letup would be punished. The Lions were willing to take greater risks to try to expose the Springbok defense.
A tough itinerary for the Lions saw them based in Capetown for the week leading up to the test at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. The Boks had the luxury of getting accustomed to the highveld. It was meant to mean a hiding for the Lions in the last two weeks of a tough tour. Instead we saw two shocking Boks performances.
Schalk Burger let himself down and will have to deal with a tarnished reputation for the rest of his life. The Lions seized their chance and started exposing the Springbok defense almost at will.
The Boks looked shocked and simply could not construct any sort of phase play. facing an eight-point deficit at halftime, the Boks played their second best half of the series. They got field position and ran the ball back at the Lions, forcing errors and working two more wonderful tries.
It took some brilliance from Jacque Fourie, a moment of madness from Ronan O'Gara, and up stepped Steyn to do to the Lions what Guscott had done to the Boks in 1997. It wasn't fair, but it lasted for 12 painful years.
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