In reviewing the final acts of the 2008 IRB Nations Cup, as the Emerging Springboks took on the reborn Romanian Oaks, it is clear that pace, belief and willpower made the difference as the two teams battled to a standstill.

The pace of the South African backs was certainly a decisive factor, so too the players' innate belief in their ability, but perhaps the most crucial edge in the heat of the battle came from the Boks' belief and trust in their 22-year old captain Morgan Newman.

A product of the Cape Town's barefoot league where Nick Mallett's sister Jenny coached him some 12 years ago, Newman probably wanted to win more than any of his teamates when he stood toe to toe against Romania in Bucharest.

"We are not first choice in our provincial teams, but all this could change following the final against Romania," he told them before that game. "This is a huge opportunity to make a statement about ourselves, to make people stand up and listen."

A sporting pedigree

Newman's sporting pedigree is impressive. Coming from a talented athletic family - his father and brother played soccer - he played soccer for Western province and represented South Africa as an Under 16 in squash.

Captain of the Bishops first team, he and Schalk Burger are the only two 19-year olds to make it from school straight into the first team of Stellenbosch University.

He went on to play centre for Pieter de Villiers' Under 21 team that finished second in the 2006 U21 World Championship in France and says of the current Springbok coach: 'He has had such an impact on in my career'.

He served his apprenticeship with the Stormers but, with Springbok incumbent Jan de Villiers ahead of him in the pecking order, never had a chance to stake a claim to a permanent place in the Super 14 set-up. Some of his Under 21 teamates Pietersen, Spice, Murray have been playing regular Super 14 rugby and already have Springbok caps, yet he and Isma-eel Dolee are both still tagged 'Emerging'.

The final incentive

"It is my third year in the Stormers squad and I only played two Currie Cup games. It is a question of opportunities," he said. "And this is why I believe this tournament is so important, not only for me, but for all the boys who are not first choice in their provincial team. Winning the final was such a strong incentive for all of us."

He was nine when South Africa won the RWC in 1995 and remembers Chester Williams' tries and Joel Stransky's drop-goal in the final, and all that joy that followed.

"It had such an impact on the country, on our lives, on everything. This is why it is such a privilege to work with Chester. He is such a great coach. He is very intuitive and allows us a great deal of freedom. However, he could do only so much so I told the boys that it was up to us to make things happen," he added.

Willpower of a nation

There is little doubt that the 'willpower' of a team, or of an individual of the calibre of Newman, has a role to play in deciding the outcome of a rugby match. This was clearly displayed not only in the in the match between the hosts and the Emerging Springboks in the final of the prestigious Nations Cup, but also in the other two matches of the closing day between Uruguay and Russia and Georgia and Italy A.

In the earlier match, it was Uruguay's self-belief and remarkable team spirit that helped them prevail in the closing stages of a physically exhausting clash over the fading Russians. It was not only the sheer scrummaging power and technique that devoured the Russian pack and secured Uruguay two pushover tries in quick succession in the closing stages. It was also the collective will of the eight Uruguayan forwards that made the difference.

A similar story in the match between Georgia and Italy A, where the Lelos wre rampant from the word go. Regardless of what Italy threw at them, the Georgians remained totally focused and committed, and struck back with ruthless efficiency every time the Italians tried to outmuscle or outsmart them. Georgia have added a substantial degree of rugby nous and expertise to their traditional powerhouse tactics and are clearly becoming a power to be reckoned with in Europe.

The IRB Nations Cup is graduating into one of the great launching pads for talent in international rugby.