It’s tempting to wonder what historians of the future will make of South African rugby currently. Will they see it as a Gilded Age, when the men who increasingly wear white jerseys, could do no wrong?

The Springbok universe of 2025 is a charmed one. They have talent, power, speed and strength.

This one, against South Africa’s bogey side, ran through the full gamut of emotions for the fans: anguish, confusion and, finally, if you were a ‘Bok fan, a kind of slow-burning pleasure as they outscored their hosts four tries to one.

It was never sexy but this afternoon’s Test was compulsive viewing if you like your rugby messy, disjointed and, above all, hard as the Boks won 32-14.

This one had all the ingredients of a blockbuster from the very beginning and what a blockbuster it was. As in all blockbusters, the best came last after a captivating build-up for the first hour.

A perfectly-paced comeback century by Quinton de Kock was the linchpin for South Africa in Faisalabad tonight, as the Proteas flattened Pakistan by eight wickets in the second One-Day International (ODI).