Disgusted in Newlands Crowd

Last Saturday evening after a really long and hard day’s work on the farm I had just enough energy left to braai (BBQ) some boerewors (Kentucky farmer’s sausage in my case since it is homemade on the farm) and a few lamb chops before I settled in front of the TV to watch the weekend’s Stormers versus the Cheetahs rugby game. But barely was I seated and I was totally disgusted by the Newlands crowd for booing Heinrich Brussow as he led his team out on the field for his 50^th Super rugby game. A milestone for any player! Something to be respected and celebrated with any player that week in and week out entertain fans that go to stadia or watch games over the TV alike.   

I am a born and bred Capetonian and a lover of the beautiful game of rugby. As I mentioned in my profile, my blood is blue with white hoops, and I have always supported the Stormers or any of the local teams that play at the hallowed grounds of Newlands. During the Super rugby tournament I try to make time every weekend to watch at least one game, the Stormers game. Although I must say, lately, with the Stormers’s inability to score bonus point tries per game, and their terrible second half performances, the Blue Bulls games are far more entertainment. Not that I will become a Blue Bull soon, but at least they are providing me more entertainment value for my time than the Stormers at this moment.

However, booing has become a sad sickness at Newlands where not only New Zealand and Australian teams are booed during run on, but also South African teams. Now booing happens at other stadia too during kicking for goals (which is really silly too) or when bad refereeing decisions are made, but why boo when a team runs on to the field to provide entertainment. Who are these nutcases that come to a stadium with the purpose to get the negative experience from entertainment instead of the positive? And if it were just 20 or 30 random persons booing one could still understand it, but it sounded like half the stadium did it. If I was disgusted by it from far away I wonder how many “good” spectators were ashamed by it at the stadium.

Looking at statistics Newlands draw the most crowds of all the teams on a regular basis, more than 32,000 people per game, and that is fantastic, but it still does not justify disrespectful behavior. I know that rugby is a professional sport and the amateur notion of doing it for enjoyment is gone. I know that sport is a powerful energizer of spirit and camaraderie, but do we have to demean the ones who are providing us the pleasure and enjoyment of the sport?

And please, don’t tell me they are booing at Loftus or Kings Park too. What has happened to the Cape Town ethic of being civil, respectful and decent, and welcoming to all, united or divided, friend or foe, to one of, if not the best city in the world. Just because fans are booing at other stadia does not mean the Newlands crowd should strive to go down the same cesspit. Be better! Be respectful. You always used to be.

Picture from http://www.crosfields.com/content/sport/gallery/

SuperSport Super Disdainful

SuperSport.com’s weekly’s Super Wrap is probably one of the most read rugby blog posts, especially among South African expatriates. The reason is simple: It is from a South African point of view. One can read the same stuff on rugbyrugby.com or rugbyheaven.com.au or .nz, but The Wrap has always been good and, in my mind, always fair and balanced. This week’s comments though totally rubbed me up the wrong way and it seems a few others too:

Apologies to our overseas readers - the video rights only extend through Africa.
To the ex-pats - you should have stayed here...

I completely understand the issue about copyrights and that SuperSport can only show the videos in Africa and the unavailability of the videos has never been an issue to me. But to make a statement like that about the ex-pats???? Come on, you have always been better than that...


For emigrants like me, I rather live without your videos than to live in a constant state of criminal and racial war. Thank you but no thank you. But for the thousands of South Africans living and working temporary abroad, who are also ex-pats, that sentence was a smack in the face.


To the Gavin Rich’s and Brendan Nel’s of this world (it seems they are the main writers these days at SuperSport): Get out of your “laer” mentality and embrace the fact that we are all living in a big global village these days. People are living and working all over the world without denouncing their culture. And secondly, based on the comments below, make sure with your technical team that your website actually functions as advertised. To say you have videos and then it doesn’t actually works inside South Africa or your copyright area is pathetic. It seems that both the Super Wrap writers and the website personnel are getting sloppy and down right derogatory and disdainful.


Here are a few comments copied from Super Wrap about that dreaded statement.


• by Freddy May 5, 2010 07:47 GMT

Anybody else have the error message when viewing videos on SuperSports site: Cannot access the resource file?
And it''s not like I''m accessing from overseas, I''m in JHB? What should I do?

• by Neef Mytros May 5, 2010 08:08 GMT

Ag nee wraggies. Hey Supersport! Get off your arses and get the video rights. I bet 60% of your readership are based overseas. And we can''t follow the games on TV like the locals. And your sanctimonious tone is not appreciated either. It''s not as if we ever had a choice.

• by VIC May 5, 2010 09:12 GMT

Hey supersport the only people living in SA that look at this web site either have nothing to do or dont have M-Net. Its us ex pats that use this the most wake up and have a shot if the coffee doesnt work.

Now look after your ex pat support base

• by Michael May 5, 2010 09:56 GMT

Supersport stop jerking around and let us ex-pats working in Afghanistan on contract work also see the video''s!

• by @Supersport May 5, 2010 11:35 GMT

@ Supersport - Why are you guys scratching where it does not itch? Sitting in P.E. and cannot view the videos.

You guys seriously need new Web administrators. Obviously your new idea was not tested!
Govt incompetence now filtering down to the private sector! Sigh!!!


Notes: SuperSport logo is used courtesy of www.supersport.com.

Invictus Contributes To Mandela's Legacy

It was always going to be a difficult movie to make for international audiences if rugby is one of the major focal points of the movie and to show the role that rugby play in the Afrikaner culture. The other stuff is easy.

I’m not in the movie rating business, but Invictus blows hot and cold, resulting in only an average movie on the whole. It is a nice inside look into a tiny slice of history at the rebirth of a nation. Freeman’s acting was quite good and he did a great job getting the accent right. Matt Damon went along for a payday. Not convincing. And surprisingly, a lot of on-field action that contribute only somewhat to the plot and making the movie a bit long without a spellbinding script.

But I could be bias. After all, I was there. I lived it. I was one of the millions that sat in their sitting rooms glued to the TV, totally absorbed in the occasion. And when the Springboks won…for South African rugby fans this was a moon landing, a moment of national pride and a major boost for patriotism. And although many didn’t know then about Mr. Mandela’s behind-the-scenes involvement in the game, many did change their view of Mr. Mandela because of his great support for the Springboks at the final.

The movie is certainly contributing to Mr. Mandela's already glorious legacy.

Where Is The Total Game?

A strong breeze brought cooler air down from the mountains and the oppressing heat of the day has subsided at last. Since coming to Monterrey, Mexico, a few days ago the daytime temperature gauge has stayed above 39 degrees Celsius / 102 degrees Fahrenheit consistently.

As I stand next to the hotel’s swimming pool with a three-quartered moon semi-transparent through scattered clouds and enjoying a cigarette after watching the Springboks/Wallaby rugby international that was played earlier today in Cape Town, I am left pondering what the Springboks must do to score more tries. After again being in total control of the match they could show only one try for their efforts. Will their inability to score tries and thus lack of getting an additional bonus point come and haunt them later in the Trinations tournament? Although I am reminding myself of Naas Botha’s words, “watch the scoreboard”, I am certainly not complaining about another win for the Springboks.

Heinrich Brussow is certainly the find of the season and Morne Steyn is certainly the savior of the Springboks in the last couple of internationals, but any serious South African rugby lover has to worry what will happen the day when penalty kicks go awry and the Boks have to rely on tries to win games.

In 2004 South Africa won the Trinations with its rush defense that forced opposition into mistakes. Those mistakes were quickly turned into opportunities and points. In 2009 they are well placed to do it again with 3 played and 3 won, but this time it seems their tactic is kicking up-and-unders with excellent chasing from the wings, again, causing the opposition to make mistakes and this time it is the boot of Morne Steyn that is a turnstile of points. That said, the overall game plan is more complicated than just kick and chase and their run of success is more based on their direct, hard-as-nails forwards suffocating their opposition upfront to deny them access to the ball.

At this point in time, without any complaints, I am happy to take the winning log points and denying the New Zealanders and the Australians any bonus points, but I have to wonder when the Boks will start scoring tries. It is not that I am ungrateful for the wins; I am just a lover of the total rugby game and the complete and total annihilation of the opposition with all the possible ways to score.

Maybe I am just greedy!

Too Many White Springboks for the All Blacks

Net toe ons dink ons is ontslae van Butana Komphela wat altyd vir Jake White aangeval het omdat hy te min swartes in sy Springbok spanne gehad het, kom Cedrick Frolick, vise-voorsitter van die parliamentêre kommittee vir sport te voorskyn and kritiseer Pieter de Villiers, Suid Afrika se eerste swart afrigter van die national rugby span, dat hy te veel wittes in die span het vir Saterdag se toets teen the New Zealand All Blacks.

Kyk, ‘n sekere groep Suid Afrikaners was maar nog altyd ‘n klomp klakouse en rugby afrigters het dit nog altyd moeilik gehad met die Maandag oggend losskakels. Dit lyk my ou Cedrick is ‘n chip off the old Komphela blok as dit kom by politiese inmenging and sommer net plain bitching en moaning.

Eerstens, Pieter het hard baklei om die finale sê te hê oor die span keuse and as daar iemand is wat ongelukkig is oor sy keuses dan moet sy werkgewer, SARU, die klawerk doen agter toe deure.

Tweedens, is ek seker PdV het nie sy gameplan met ou Cedrick bespreek nie. So ek verstaan nie mooi hoe hy kan kla nie, want Pieter het al bewys dat hy kies spanne op die horses for courses basis. So sy spankeuse is gebaseer op sy gameplan en nie op watter kleur ‘n speler is nie. En as Cedrick Klakous enige iets van rugby geweet het en na die span keuse kyk, dan sal hy besef dit gaan ‘n skoppery vir Afrika wees en wie is beter in daardie afdeling as Fourie du Preez and Percy Montgomery.

Derdens, Cedrick, die Drol in die drinkwater weet nie mooi wat of waar die drinkwater is nie. Hy kla oor Ricky January and Conrad Jantjes wat “gedrop” is van die opdraf span. Wel, onder die nuwe ELV (Experimental Laws Variations) reëls is al 22 spelers belangrik, nie net die eerste 15 nie. En beide Janury and Jantjes is in die group van 22 spelers.

Vierdens, kla die Drol dat hy nie kan verstaan hoekom January gedrop word na die Carisbrook wonderwerk. Almal weet January se drie op Carisbook was ‘n briljante individuele effort en ‘n lucky bounce. Fantasties! Maar soos PdV gesê het, January het ‘n ruskans nodig and Fourie Du Preez was afterall, die eerste keuse skrumskakel voor sy besering, so dis net reg dat hy sy plek terug kry. Net soos January niks verkeerd gedoen het om sy plek te verloor nie, het Du Preez niks verkeerd gedoen om nie sy plek terug te kry noudat hy herstel het van sy besering. Inteendeel, hy het ‘n baie goeie wedstryd gehad teen Argentina verlede week.

Vyfdens, Ek is seker as PdV vir Montgomery and Du Preez “gedrop” het sou ou Cedrick nie ‘n dêm word gerep het nie. Die Drol dink net in een rigting, soos ‘n one trick blouaap. Hy dink glad nie globaal nie. Dis net tranformasie, transformasie en transformasie. Dit terwyl PdV besig is om span te bou en het van die begin af gesê het dat hy in rotering van spelers glo.

Laastens, om te sê Percy Montgomery word om emosionele redes gekies om sy 100ste toets, ‘n moerse prestasie en die eerste Suid Afrikaner om dit reg te kry, op Nuweland te speel waar hy sy rugby loopbaan begin het, is om een van Suid Afrika se grootste sport persoonlikhede lelik in die gesig te vat. As Cedrick die Drol die moeite gedoen het om met Jantjes te gepraat het en hom gevra het hoe hy daaroor voel om “uitgelaat” te word om vir Percy die eer te gee, sou Conrad tien teen een gesê het wat ‘n voorreg dit is om in dieselfde span as Percy te speel. Hell, as ou Cedrick maar net vir 100 dae in die parliament kan opdaag sonder om staatsgeld te misbruik of te verkwansel of om nie op die gravy trein te ry nie kan hy dalk gesien word as ‘n eerbare verteenwoordigende politikus wat ‘n daadwerklike bydra lewer tot die vooruitgang van Suid Afrika. In die 10 plus jare wat Percy Montgomery Suid Afrika op die rugbyveld verteenwoordig het, het hy meer wit en swart jong spelers gemotiveer as wat ou Cedrick in ‘n leeftyd nie kan doen. In daardie 10 plus jare het Percy meer daadwerklik dade doen, soos om 'n enorme bydrae te lewer sodat Suid Afrika die 2007 World Cup te kon gewen het, wat ou Cedrick hopelik nie in ‘n leeftyd met woorde kan afbreek nie.

Kyk, al wat nou Saterdag moet gebeur is ‘n moerse oorwinning vir die Bokke (7 punte of meer) en ek kan die hoof opskrifte al sien: Too white Springboks thrash All Blacks, of wat van: All Blacks mastered by frolicking white Boks.

Ou Cedrick Frolick, hoekom kruip jy nie terug in jou stront-besmeerde hut in die parliamentêre tuin nie? Los rugby, span keuses and gameplans vir rugbymense. Bepaal jy jou by jou lees, whatever the hell that is. Daar het Robbie Deans, die Australiese afrigter, nou weer beaam dat Suid Afrika een van die beste lande is om na te toer. Dis ‘n mooi en unieke land. Maar nee, Cedrick, die Drol, moet weereens die kak stir en Suid Afrika van binne af vrot maak. Ai tog! Jou koppie moet in elkgeval redelik klein wees om daardie drol brein van jou deur ‘n klein gaatjie gedruk te kry.

Drol!!!

South Africa is World Champions…Again

Congratulations to the South African rugby team for becoming the 2007 Rugby World Champions.

In an unattractive, but hard-fought game the Springboks beat England 15 – 6 in Paris to win their second World Cup tournament. They were also World Champs in 1995.

In some ways the game was a real anti-climax. Maybe it was just personal preference, but I really thought, well, hoped, the Boks would run the ball a bit more because of their better back line, but conservative rugby won the day. This year’s tournament saw the re-emergence of the up and under as a major weapon in rugby, and the final was no different, a kicking dual. It was always going to be a case of the winner being the team that makes the least number of mistakes, thus not giving the opposition a chance to score points from penalties.

The moment of the game that will always be talked about is the Mark Cueto try that was not awarded. It was close and 9 out of 10 cases a try would have been awarded. But luck was with South Africa on Saturday. There were also one or two other moments where I thought South Africa was lucky not to be blown up for accidental obstruction.

Overall, although extremely boring, the game kept me at the edge of my seat because of the occasion and what was at stake.

A Green and Gold Eiffel Tower

Is this a sign that good things will happen for the Springboks in France? Last night the Eiffel Tower in Paris was basked in Green and Gold during the opening of the rugby supporters village, Rugby Town, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. I am sure the colors were influence by the fact that a South African company is managing the village for the next two months. Rugby Town may well become Bok Town as the village could become a "watergat" for South Africans.