Sport has been very successfully used to unify our nation, especially after 1994. We are a sport loving nation, even though our teams often disappoint us. Some of our teams such as the Proteas, have always disappointed us when they needed to perform on the biggest stage.
After victory over Scotland last weekend, the Springboks reclaimed top spot in the world rankings, surpassing the All-Blacks. Given that they are the current world number one team, Rugby Champions winners and defending world champions, they are our countries shining light when it comes to sport.
A nation of mixed sporting success
The British introduced their sports to us, and it was love at first sight. Rugby, Cricket, Football, Golf and the list goes on. Most South Africans love sport, be it as viewers or participants. Our climate and vast amounts of space make it an ideal place for sport. Even though we are a country of more than 60 million people, we are not that well known internationally for our sporting prowess. The talent is there, but the superstars are not.
We do sometimes produce a successful athlete, who wins a gold medal (and breaks a world record). Winning a medal at the Olympics is never expected, and always comes as a surprise. Our medal haul has been steadily low and has been on a downward trajectory.
As someone who grew up loving cricket more than rugby, the Proteas have been my biggest disappointment. Since readmission, we have often been the best, or had one of the best teams, but could never get over the line in a world cup. They did give us some great moments, like the 438 game, but play in a world cup semi-final and we are guaranteed to lose. The 1999 world cup semi-final loss to Australia will probably haunt me until the day I die. Since 2019 or so, the Proteas have also been on a downward trajectory, with lots of stars retiring and none coming through the ranks. I haven’t watched a game in years, and I don’t plan on doing so any time soon.
Bafana Bafana are absolutely nowhere. Yes, they did miraculously win the 1996 African Cup of Nations, but nothing has happened since. Unlike the Proteas, Bafana Bafana have never had a team who could even remotely challenge the strongest nations. Maybe if they find a Football equivalent of Rassie Erasmus, they could get somewhere.
Outside of Rugby, I would say our biggest sporting successes have come from Golf and Swimming. We have a golfing grand-slam winner in Gary Player, which is an incredible feat. We also had lots of other major winners, such as Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel. We always produce good golfers, but unfortunately, we haven’t had a superstar come through in recent years.
For a nation who seems to not give a shit about swimming and has very limited facilities, we are doing remarkably well. Ever since I can remember, we have had remarkable success in the swimming pool at the Olympics and world championships. I have no idea why, but keep up the good work.
The Springboks: our nation’s pride
If there is one team who have proven that they are the best in the world, it is the Springboks. They have won the Rugby World Cup four times, which is an incredible feat in itself. Yes, there have been some very lean years (cough cough Alistair Coetzee), but that doesn’t take away the from fact that the Springboks had already won two world cups by then.
I still remember the 1995 Rugby World cup quite fondly. We had the opening game against Australia and the final against the All-Blacks on VHS, and I watched the kak out of those tapes. It wasn’t only the fact that they gave our nation hope, but they overcame great adversity to win the world cup. They got over the line. They knew how to win. That is a skill that lots of our sporting teams just don’t have. The Bokke never really dominated the world game between world cups, as they were usually bested by the All-Blacks in the other big tournaments. There were some years when we were the best in the world, such as 1997 and 2009, but we usually played second fiddle to the All-Blacks. That shows that we might not be the best at a give point in time, but we win somehow. Be it by luck, or cunning, we get over the line.
Rugby is in our DNA
Rugby is currently the sport where we have the most diverse team. What people can’t argue with now, is that the players in the team deserve to be there. There was a long period where political pressure overshadowed the selection of many fine players, and some players were not there on merit.
Ever since rugby was introduced to South Africa, our country fell madly in love with it. The Afrikaners loved it more than the English-speaking South Africans. The Afrikaners probably like it, because it was such a physical game, where you can tackle and moer others. I remember playing some rugby games against dudes from the plaas, and that was quite unpleasant.
Rugby is not only a game for the Afrikaners, but for everyone. Rugby is a game where you don’t need a lot to be able to play. Just give a bunch of kids a ball and a big field, and they are set. SA Rugby is also doing a good job to unearth new talent across all parts of the country.
My two cents
Rugby is an integral part of our society. It is a sport that is enjoyed by most people, and it is a sport that is easy to get involved in. Whereas our other sporting teams have been pretty much nowhere, the Bokke have proven to the world, that they have what it takes to win. They are an inspiration to all South Africans and are true role models.
Living in Africa is tough, and you need to be tough to survive. That is probably why we like rugby so much.
Until next time, my dear comrades.
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