My attention was drawn to a comment on a website made by a rugby journalist representing a top private television station in South Africa, saying that the Springboks should admit now that passion alone won’t win them games.
It got me thinking a bit.
That’s what it’s all about for many South Africans, isn’t it? The Bok jersey always first and foremost, represented passion, blood and guts – and still does today.
In the early days though, for the majority of its citizens – the disenfranchised – that wasn’t the case; it has to be said that for many it was a label that was synonomous with the then-apartheid regime. I would say almost three generations of “players of colour” missed out on playing for their country, due to the divide and rule policies of the “old South Africa”.
The writer did not specify what else the Boks would require as well for them to come out on top. But I suggest he would have mentioned: “knowing how to win”.
By and large, Bok supporters should be proud that despite the fact that South Africa’s re-entry into the international fold is not even two decades old, their team’s doing pretty well indeed.
But again, for some South Africans like myself, despite their success, we believe the Bok brand will never be on equal terms with that of New Zealand.
There’s just something about the Kiwis’ pride, consistency (except Word Cup, of course!), knowledge and skill, developed over more than a century, when it comes to the great game, that makes every fan proud to be an All Blacks supporter. Passion the South Africans may have in abundance, but us Kiwi fans believe that they cannot match the All Blacks when it comes to skill, especially ball-handling and support play.
Many South Africans should know there are All Black fan clubs in South Africa that are passionate about their team. Fellow South Africans, some of whom are obviously angered by it, question the motives. But it would be safe to say that there is a history behind it. But it’s not so much about the history, as it is also about the way the Kiwis play the game.
They may be surprised to know, that despite South Africa’s love-hate relationship with the Aussies on the sporting front, many “people of colour” support the Wallabies in South Africa.
Many would reminisce about the days of the Ella greats. Even in the good old days, (before isolation) the passion ran deep in the Bok sides; wanting to prove that they could conquer the world, especially the old foe, New Zealand.
But this unbridled passion that continues until this day seems not always enough to provide the consistency against their foes in the Southern Hemisphere.
The writer probably implies that passion has to be translated into an on-the-field ability of knowing how to win. A loss for the Wallabies would have been a huge travesty indeed. A win for the Boks would have meant blood and guts triumphed again in the face of the improbable.
The Boks should be thankful – a win would probably have served to paper over the cracks.
Five tries to three was enough to satisfy even a neutral that the Wallabies had killed off the game early on with superlative running rugby. No one expected them to lose – in Bloem of all places. But passion for the Boks just wasn’t enough.
Their tactical nous was left wanting in the early stages of the game.
One headline in an Afrikaans newspaper read: “Enough to cry about”. About what? That the leaden footed, totally outwitted Boks had lost fairly and squarely – deservedly so?
I don’t think that the report even gave the Wallabies the credit they deserved. But could it be expected of the Afrikaans weekly to praise the foe? What can only be described as a boorish crowd elected to boo Bryan Habana. We know that he has had a poor run of late, but the heckling raises another question.
The fans have taken on the passion, without realising the team has to play well as a unit. Passion makes you patriotic or does patriotism make you passionate?
In fact the crowd’s behaviour at that stage when the Aussies were obliterating the Boks, was indicative of what their team sometimes represent. Passion and guts without the know-how.
So would they have booed if it was Hougaard, or Matfield or Bakkies having an off day? Probably no, especially in Bloemfontein. But no let’s target Habana, seemed to be the crowd’s approach on the day.
You wouldn’t get that in Australia or New Zealand, I hazard to guess.
You see Habana will always have to prove himself as a “player of colour”. Let us not mince our words here.
This is the man that has done so much for Bok rugby already, but he’s booed when he has an off game or two. Surely they should support him, not ridicule him, if they love him? But only in South Africa.
Jake White too was criticised by a passionate rugby public when he chose Habana for his first Test yonks ago; even White himself had to be persuaded about the precocious talent making his presence felt.
Then the singing of South Africa’s national anthem: the fans always make sure they belt out the Afrikaans version (as they did in Bloemfontein) and at every match when it is sung, the Afrikaans part of the song always moves up a massive crescendo. Passion or fervour, the majority of Bloemfontein fans laying claim to their birthright?
Do they still have to in a democratic South Africa?
Then you have Peter De Villiers.
Of course, 99 per cent of us don’t agree with his gaffes he is so infamous for. But this is a man who is always in the spotlight whether he is winning or he is losing.
No one should forget the revelations about an alleged videotaped session of him and a ‘third-party’ alleged to have cavorted in a car park. That was subsequently rubbished by the Saru authorities, and dismissed with the contempt it deserved. They were out to get him even before he had begun his stint.
It’s not that De Villiers is incompetent, he like many other sportsmen, women and coaches of colour would always have to prove themselves, not only when it comes to the Bok brand, but in all codes of sport.
Bobby Skindstadt’s been taking e-mail messages from the public and answering them, while acting as commentator.
One of the questions centred around another “person of colour,” back Gio Aplon.
Most of those who e-mailed into the programme reckoned Aplon was too small, suspect under the high ball and suspect when tackled. The former Sevens star proved that assertion wrong time and time again. How many times hasn’t he set up attacking options with his elusive running?
No, but the a certain section of the rugby-mad public would call for his head. You see it’s all about the passion, not being able to see what is positive in the guy and support him.
Then another “person of colour” Juan de Jongh had an outstanding game against the All Blacks lately. But while praising some of his play, the media sought to criticise him outright.
Will a section of the rugby-mad public call for Morne Steyn’s head. Will they call for Jacque Fourie’s head? For Rossouw’s head? For Francois Hougaard’s head – if they had poor games? Probably not. For example, Morne Steyn may be a match-winner, but he is merely a link – that’s all. Any rugby fan worth his salt would tell you that.
No flair, no tactical nous except when it comes to his kicking. But, of course, he’s one of Loftus’ “lieflings” (we adore you they sing out at Bulls’ games).
Then you have Saru head-honcho Regan Hoskin – a person of colour – who will always have to back De Villiers, who he surely helped elevate to the coaching position, so he can justify his appointment to the hallowed position.
It must be a tough job for all these “persons of colour” especially having to prove themselves, whether they are on top of things or not, to a class of people who believe the Bok brand is their birthright. The All Blacks and Australia know how to box clever.
The Aussies cut South Africa to shreds with a form of offence never seen in a long time in Test rugby. Their tactics were too attack and attack full out for the first half, and see if they could hold out in the second. Someone said on this forum that victory was bittersweet. No it was sweet – the young guns of the Wallabies proved again that size doesn’t always matter.
Both the All Blacks and Wallabies have played fire with fire and showed the Boks that they can match them in the physicality stakes.
That took a lot of tactical nous, and the knowledge of how to beat the bigger, hulking Boks. That proves that passion especially in this day and age, will never alone win you games.
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