- South Africa's contrasting home British and Irish Lions series have produced players who have made a mark in SA Rugby in the professional era.
- The 1997 Series that South Africa unexpectedly lost 2-1 gave South African rugby Johan "Rassie" Erasmus and Percy Montgomery, players who would shape SA Rugby differently.
- The 2-1 triumph in 2009 changed the careers of Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira, Morne Steyn and Heinrich Brussow.
My lifespan has allowed me to witness the two British and Irish Lions series tours that have taken place in South Africa.
The 1997 series was an eye-opener because I didn't know the entity existed until my cousin came home sopping wet from what was then the Basil Kenyon Stadium (now Buffalo City Metro Municipality Stadium) where the Lions had their closest brush with provincial defeat (won 18-14) before a Casper Steyn-inspired Bulls felled them.
Even then, having watched the Boks regularly clean up the European teams since 1995, it didn't occur to me that the reigning world champions were not only on their second coach in Carel du Plessis since 1996 but they were quite bent out of shape.
With M-Net Open Time providing the necessary rugby lifeline and through subsequent reading and watching of the 1997 games, they provided a cursory glance of the 2009 series that I didn't miss a minute of on TV.
While the series was contrasting wins and losses, some performances stood out and with one of the individuals still in fine fettle. They could be called upon to deliver the same match-winning performances.
That said, here are my five defining individual showings from the two Lions tours to South Africa in the professional era.
Percy Montgomery (Second Test, Kings Park, 1997)
This Test has gone down as an example of why a team must always have an accomplished goalkicker. In the first Test at Newlands, Edrich Lubbe's inadequacy was shown up, but such was the Lions' overall showing in the 25-16 win, goalkicking was never going to be a factor.
With renewed vigour and accuracy on the attack, the Boks scored three unconverted tries. Montgomery, playing in the first of his 102 Tests, showed he belonged at that level, but an atrocious kicking display from him, Henry Honiball and Andre Joubert, saw the Boks miss 12 points that wouldn't have given Neil Jenkins room to trim the Boks' lead before Jeremy Guscott's infamous drop goal.
SA had found a gem and one that would shine brightly in France 10 years later.
Johan "Rassie" Erasmus (Third Test, Ellis Park, 1997)
Erasmus had big boots to fill when he replaced the late Ruben Kruger, but he was paired up with Andre Venter and Gary Teichmann for the first time in that game.
They immediately showed the synergy that was going to serve Nick Mallett well from late 1997 onwards. The Lions had little to prove after winning the series through winning the first two Tests.
As the director of rugby, he may have a bigger point to prove.
Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira (First Test, Kings Park, 2009)
Mtawarira was already a starting Test prop by the time Phil Vickery rolled around. However, this wasn't the "Cornish Rock" of earlier in the decade that often decimated loosehead props.
Mtawarira had only converted to prop in senior rugby, but if there ever was a moment for him to banish the hurt of 12 years ago, that was it.
Mtawarira proceeded to pop Vickery like a coiled-up spring and pretty much ended his career. That was only the start of the journey for Mtawarira, who would go on to end his career as a Rugby World Cup winner 10 years later.
Heinrich Brussow (First Test, Kings Park, 2009)
That Cheetahs coach Hawies Fourie said there wouldn't be another Heinrich Brussow surprise coming for this Lions series serves as a reminder of what SA Rugby has missed through Covid-19. The lack of rugby has meant outliers haven't had an opportunity to make a late selection case.
Like Mtawarira, he'd already made his Test debut and when he continuously stole the milk from England's breakdown coffee, he forced a tactical change from Sir Ian McGeechan that really worked in the third Test.
By then, the series was gone and Brussow's legend grew further through the Tri-Nations, where he bossed the breakdown. The fact that he played only 13 Tests remains one of SA Rugby's biggest shames.
Morne Steyn (Second Test, Loftus Versfeld, 2009)
Steyn had already shown his well-known match-winning abilities in Super Rugby and in the first Test of the series he debuted in. However, it was the long-range penalty conceded by Ronan O'Gara that truly endeared him to South African rugby hearts.
While Ruan Pienaar, who like Steyn is still on active provincial duty, was a better playmaker, it was the goalkicking that was the difference between them.
With the scars of 1997 still burning bright, the goalkicking was needed and when it came through, it has been cherished ever since.