Springboks: How To Tackle The Bullshitters

It would be wonderful if we could pretend that the Nation Building that the Springbok World Cup Win brought about was ever going to last. That failure is not, I believe, thanks to the people on the ground, but those on their pedestals. They rubbed their hands, these political hijackers, smelling money, smelling another opportunity to play the race card, and to surf it for all its worth.

This is about hijacking rugby's Money & Power Pot. It's an ego trip. And why not? Why shouldn't they hijack SA rugby? Why shouldn't they annex the Boks, install their own coaches, and go waltzing around the world, wearing their green rugby jerseys, high fives all the way. Why not? because it's not going to happen boet, and it's not going to happen because we the Real Rugby Loving Masses aren't going to LET it happen. Who gave them permission to ride rough shod over our team, to cash in our winners and trade them in for a sort of experimental Red Rover Red Rover. This is still our game, it belongs to the people, it belongs to us, not to a bunch of scratching, spiteful politicians and their handful of moth eaten union puppets.

If you've been to any of the Currie Cup games you'll know what I'm talking about when I say black people in South Africa don't watch rugby. They watch soccer. Until the Boks won the world cup and it became part of the national zeitgeist, they really didn't care about the game. If they do care about the sport - and I'm sure some do - they don't do it in the grandstands, and they certainly didn't before the Boks won the rugby world cup. But did they ever?

Many newspapers make the subtle claim that suddenly when the Boks had captured what might be called a worldwide audience, certain influential black men donned springbok jerseys. Very very interesting Peterrr.

I am sure there are exceptions. I'm sure a few chaps in the Eastern Cape dig the sport, always did, and always will. In the same way I am sure there are a few (maybe four) white people who go to the PSL games wearing Kaizer Chiefs or Pirates shirts. I dunno. I don't. SA soccer's not my thing. It may or may not change closer to the world cup. The people who do go to those soccer games, did you ever see whities in the stadium? Cos I specifically looked when I was in Bloem and I swear I didn't see a single black face in the orange crowd (but a few on the field). And that's fine. We like Kabamba. He has a good attitude. He's a workhorse. Is he a Bok? No, like Jake said, he's not heavy enough. And that's how it works. You earn your place. That said, Floors is a damn fine Cheetah.

Moving right along...if we're going to play Quota Quota I actually like the idea of a Barbarian side, an All White South Africa team to test our own All Black team. See the argument from some black South Africans is that we're intentionally blocking the way forward for wannabe black springboks. People who love the game know that is crap. If this were true, the likes of Bryan Habana would not be in the team. Anyone can see that everyone wants the Boks to win, no matter who is wearing the jersey.

But the powers insist that they want a Black Bok team, with a Black Victor Matfield, and a black Os, so let's keep a 'White' team on standby. We can have both teams play each other from time to time, and then choose the best players from both teams (that's really code for still choosing all the black players).
Okay so since that remains a futile experiment, let's take a leaf out of a couple of expats and other hardcore supporters' books in New Zealand (I mean, you keep hearing those two words, don't you, All Blacks...).

The Big Idea

The idea is based on historical precedent. Once upon a time, the Springboks were banned for being a racist team from a racist country. I think that needs to happen again. The new All Black Springboks can start their training etc, but then I'd like to call all lovers of rugby to effectively ban them.

How this blacklisting would work is, effectively, South African supporters would simply stop going to the stadiums, stop buying tickets. Stay at home, and when the Boks (aka The Losers) jog onto the field, let's tune into Survivor or Idols. That's as close to Reality Rugby as we're gonna get. A ticket-buying public is the bread and butter of SARU, and if they want a representative side, then let those this side represent, pitch up at the stadiums, win or lose as they say, and pay for a fine display of political scrummaging (I suppose you could watch Parliament TV for more exciting passing of the Bucks).

We can leave it to the rest of the world to entertain the charade that the Springboks will eventually become, but I'd suggest a blanket ban. Fair's fair. Perhaps in time, the shame and humiliation will be enough for the game to be given back to itself. I fear though, from here on out, it will never be the same again. Perhaps if those who take over get burnt and embarassed quickly and severely, there will be a u-turn. Once again, common sense has never been a strong point in South African politics, whether in sport or anywhere else. Isn't it a tremendous pity to lose the winning momentum that took so many years for the guys to develop?

More on this topic:
Those little White lies
Meyer looks set to leave Bulls for Boks

The Boks Reloaded (INCLUDES SLIDESHOW)

Rugga Zone, Supersport's infinitely inferior cousin, dished up a worthwhile show, I thought, last night. There were some interesting interviews with John Smit, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Jake White.

In the highlights package of the final, it was also easier to step back and see how the game unravelled. At the end of the first half, South Africa were poised to score. Bryan Habana was calling for the ball, and the Boks were determined to bulldoze their way through. If they had gone with the song - gee die bal vir Bryan - he could have run up and down the track 2 metres from the tryline until he found a gap. If anyone could pull that sort of thing off, it's the Habana speedster. But it was not to be, and Boks had to settle for 3 points from a penalty.

This incident was mirrored by the opposing side at the start of the second half. England came very close to scoring; but thanks to Matfield, Tait was brought down when it seemed like he had a red carpet laid out for him to the try line. Rossouw's tackle on Cueto proved to be just as valuable as JP Pietersen's lifesaver against Fiji. It was very close, but it wasn't a try. And just like the Boks, they got 3 points for the effort.

John Smit, dabbing at the few remaining stitches to his eyelid during the interview - in itself this looked painful, the hand tugging at the still healing gash to his eyelid - recalled a turning point. It was at 20/20 in the Fiji game. He reminded the boys of all the work, everything that had gone into 4 years. He points out that from there the guys went forward to the end. This was the decisive moment, but it was comprised of plenty of sweat and tears leading up to it. In this sense it's interesting to what extent the mind, and belief play. Permission has to be given to accept one's destiny. It's a real choice.

What was also evident in the final was Wilkenson's kicks. Both of his kicks that went through, only just went through. One bounced in; the other scraped through. And that was the sum of all their points in the final. Two fairly lucky kicks. They were lucky not to have lost 15-0 orm if the Boks had crossed the tryline, 22 or worse - 0.

Meanwhile, the fact that Tobie Flood wasn't sibinned for his bit of mischief (notce how quickly he repented) against Monty shows how inconsistent the standards were with the citing committees and all the rest. Good for Monty he first steered the R250 000 camera out the way before colliding into it. But it was very bad sportsmanship from Mr Flood.

On another track, just before Monty vaulted over the barrier, the GOOMPED him on the head. The Bushmen would have found that particularly funny though. Did I say 'GOOMP'? I meant: Koh KWAH!

Francois Steyn also proved instrumental in 'making a difference'. Sometimes these went awry, but crucially, they often created the vital break. This guy has an amazing future ahead of him. His coach must make sure, in the coming years, he doesn't sustain egregious bodily harm though. On the other hand, he's a big boy; he may be able to take a pounding whilst handing them out.

Jake White particularly impressed me. He gave Eddie Jones a lot of credit; saying that Jones was a sounding board for his ideas, and that Jones had 'been there before', although only managing a silver medal in the previous world cup. What impresses me about White is his ability to second guess himself alongside a solid sense of self belief. Here's a guy who is prepared to graft, ready to look at every detail, how to do it better, and then does not get lost in the successes afterward.

But right now, New Zealand and other teams, and their coaching staff are probably wondering: Is White The Right Man For An All Black Team? Er...
To watch a slideshow of the final, click here.

47: BELIEVE

‘I would not have survived four years in this job without knowing how to fight’ - JW
The Times' Aspasia Karras writes: Jake White is sitting in the lobby of the hotel in Paris where the Springboks have been based for the past few weeks. He is showing me his rubber bracelet which is inscribed with the legend: We believe 47.

It seems that the number 47 has been invested with an almost mystical importance for the team. He explains: “There are 30 players and 17 staff, 47 days in the World Cup, 4 pools and 7 games in total, 4 plus 7 is 11, [Bryan] Habana is our top scorer — there is an omen there.”

Go here to watch Jake ’n the Boks (VIDEO)

NVDL: This is awesome, inspiring stuff. I think the added ingredient to the World Cup Game - the pressure - is the wildcard factor. England have the sort of team that chokes other teams. But not this one.

Webb Ellis whitewash

by Chris Hewitt

After their 36-0 capitulation to the Boks in the pool stages, England's progression to the final has been the stuff of fable. It's also been a bloody farce.

This is a side ranked seventh in the world heading into the tournament, and not looking a place better for much of the last four years.

This is a side who within 12 months have lost their last four Tests to the men in green and gold, at home, away and on neutral ground.

This is a side coached by man whose rugby philosophy is as up-to-date, relevant and inspiring as the Penny Farthing.

And this is a side who depend more on one man than the giraffes did on Noah.

For the rest of this News24 article, click here.

NVDL: Couldn't agree more. They may give us a run for the first 10 - 15 minutes. The Boks need just remain disciplined and not get flustered, put points on the board, and then break England's spirit. Easy as english pie. But that makes it a disappointing final for me - would have preferred the All Blacks or the French. Especially a World Cup victory over the All Blacks would have been sweet.