Land of the rising Boks
Springbok fans during the Rugby World Cup pool B game between South Africa and Namibia at City of Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture on Saturday in Japan. The Boks won 57-3.
Sport has always lent itself to drama. Contests between nations have always been a more civilised and bloodless (okay, less bloody) alternative to all-out war and have, perhaps, been more about entertainment for the masses than anything else. Just as the early plays by William Shakespeare burst with action, heroes and villains, tragedy and farce, so, too, does modern-day international sport.
And this year’s blockbuster Rugby World Cup could have been the work of talented Hollywood scriptwriters.
A plucky, outnumbered bunch of Davids (Japan) slew one of the European Goliaths (Ireland). Swamped by wave upon wave of attackers, the Welsh defended their trenches to triumph against Australia. And, playing the Grinch who stole Christmas, Aussie coach Michael whinged about referees…
For the Boks, it was Goliath absolutely stomping David (the luckless Namibia) into the Japanese turf. In rugby, the big guys generally win – but South African fans (and coach Rassie Erasmus) can’t be happy with the fact we failed to score against our weak neighbours in the last 15 minutes of the match on Saturday.
Will there be other twists in the plot? Undoubtedly, because this year, no team is a guaranteed winner.
So, hold on to your popcorn and don’t leave before the final curtain…