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From a neutral point of view, a World Cup is factually irrelevant. If we subtract the emotion from a tournament of this magnitude it is easy to see that, at its core, a World Cup of any kind is flawed – and deeply flawed at that.
The reason for this is because it is not an annual event and as such cannot be the true test of both long and short-term success.
A time span of four years separates tournaments, meaning that what happens in between is implied to be irrelevant. But four years of nonsensical battles is a steep price to pay for something most fans tend to forget after a year or so.
By all means, being crowned ‘champions of the world’ is a glorious achievement, but it is also easily diluted.
Instead the argument is often made that it is the World Cup, not the years bridging them, that is irrelevant. Being the world champions does not necessarily make you the best in the world, especially not in rugby. Rugby’s world champions are often bludgeoned the following year and by the time they lose a consecutive number of games, the title means pretty much nothing anymore.
But the above are the views of those who see in black and white.
The majority of us Roarers are not these people, we are human beings with pulses. We see the World Cup not in black and white, but in All Black black and white. We see it in South African green and gold, and in Australian gold and green. We see it the crimson banners of the Welsh, in the lustrous green of Ireland. We see it in the blue of France and the stainless white of England.
We are not factual when we watch the sport we love, except when we analyse certain aspects of the game. We are a rugby-driven community with a genuine love for the game they play in heaven. Those of us who have indulged ourselves in the fiery crucible of the sacred four lines of the oval ball have all dreamed of the possibility of playing in a World Cup, winning a World Cup. We who play, or have played, see the World Cup not as a pointless one-off tournament, but as the epitome, the stairway to rugby heaven.
Yet winning of the William Webb Ellis trophy is a bonus, not the goal. The goal remains the same whether you’re a professional athlete or an aspiring player. The goal of participating in a sport is to express yourself, to enjoy it, to distance yourself of the routines and struggles of life and society. Winning, knowing you’ve beaten the best the world can throw at you, that is the proudest moment you can feel on a rugby field, but if you didn’t enjoy the journey, you’re missing the point.
That is what the Rugby World Cup – any World Cup – is. It is the sustenance of the dreams of the dreamer. It is the reward for enjoying doing what you love. It is peace, peace shown by every participating nation. In the words of former South African president Nelson Mandela, “Sport has the power to change the world.”
I write this with the hope that all of us can realise what the Rugby World Cup is about. It’s not just about winning (even if it were, the Springboks will win the trophy, so it’s best that the rest of you heed my words and search for other consolations).
Kidding aside (No, the Boks really will win it, but let’s pretend they won’t), the inspiration for this article came from our very own Roar version of Big Brother, Patrick Effeney’s ‘Get behind the Wallabies week’ article. I would like to start my own movement.
I’ll call mine ‘Get behind rugby month’ and – if it’s okay with him – Expert Roarer Brett McKay could be the face of the campaign because, well… We all like him. We don’t know why, but we all like him, so it must be him.
The only rule here is that you remember why you love the game and share your enthusiasm with everyone else. This year’s competition is an occasion worth celebrating.
Just think of how your life would be like without rugby. Instead of writing this I would probably be busy washing the dishes, on the weekend I would be mowing the lawn, and on Monday I would use my pent-up frustration on my colleagues at work.
Instead I’m writing about rugby, the dishes can wait. I’m going to be watching the action unfold with a beer and a big bag of biltong in hand this weekend and let the dogs play in the jungle a little while longer. On Monday I’m going to let out my frustrations on my colleagues anyway, only this time I’m going to have a good reason for it – Duane Vermeulen knocking on the ball. How much more could you want out of life?
The Rugby World Cup shows the world in union.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.