Deon Davids: Springboks' set-piece coming together after 'very hard work'

That platform was tested by the elements during the third Test of Rugby's Greatest rivalry, where strong and swirling winds made life difficult for the hookers during the lineouts.

“Our performance now is based on very hard work. Obviously, at the start, we gave a lot of players an opportunity and, through that, you build a bit of depth in the squad and try to build combinations,” Davids said.

"There were winds from different angles all over the field, so it was quite challenging for the hookers to find the right spot and get the timing right with the jumpers," Davids explained.

"I must commend them in terms of how they executed and read the conditions, and allowed us to get a 100% success rate."

Davids reserved special praise for No 8 Jasper Wiese, describing him as the embodiment of the Springbok ethos both on and off the field.

“I think Jasper, for me, epitomises what the Springboks are about. It's not only about what he brings on the field, but also off the field,” he said.

"I've been here since he started here. I can honestly talk about how he has grown in terms of his own game and also in terms of his ability to lead the team and now share his experience with the youngsters coming in.

"Then on the field, I think it's obvious in terms of the way he plays as a No 8, the physicality that he brings with ball in hand and without the ball in defence.

"It's an honour coaching him and I think he will be a massive part of the team going forward."

The experienced forward group has also benefited from a collaborative culture of knowledge-sharing and thorough opponent analysis.

“We've got a lot of experience in the pack and we've got players coming from different franchises. We always try to learn from each other and share ideas,” Davids said.

"Obviously, we also analyse the opponents in terms of where the opportunities lie for us, but also where their strengths are.

“We build a plan according to that for the specific game, and we're just glad that it worked for us.”