The Springboks and I

17/10/2015, 5pm, Twickenham. There’ll be a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal between South Africa and Wales being played, a match I would dearly love to watch because I absolutely adore this game of rugby, but a game I will more than likely miss.

I’ve had this conversation with a lot of people lately, so I decided to write about it.

You see a year or so ago I made a decision to not watch any Springbok games (unless they are playing against my All Blacks ofcourse). Why? Some might ask? I rugby is my sport. When I’m travelling I make a point to find out where and how I can watch a game no matter the time, those who know me will attest to that, but over the last few years of watching the sport, I have developed a growing dislike of the Springbok and what I believe it represents, thus watching games becomes more of an annoyance than pleasurable. I keep looking at all their errors that go unnoticed by the refs and discounted the good they do. I do not want them to succeed, and this so called togetherness that comes with their triumphs…GIVE ME A BREAK will ya. You only have to read comments on sites like 24 (now longer allowed) to know the thinking of a fair amount of Springbok supporters.

Before I continue, let me say that I do not have an issue with the Springbok players at all, they are talented, hard working good natured individuals who go on the field to do their best for their country…What I do take issue with, is what I perceive to be some people are more equal than others. I think I may have a case this year more than most.

A couple of examples, we have a player called Jesse Kriel, a very talented, exciting and competent player. This year prior to international rugby he plied his trade, with aplomb, at fullback. In Juan de Jongh we have a player with 14 tests under his belt, formed part of the best defensive centre combinations with Jean for a few seasons of super rugby. I can’t remember a time where he has let either club or country down. Yes, he has had an injury interrupted season…oh wait, Willem Alberts, Lood de Jager, Peter-Steph…so sit down for a moment…we have Lionel Mapoe, who was arguably the best outside center in SA over the super rugby season, but wait he has never played a test, well neither had Jesse Kriel...Then we have the most influential and consistent flyhalf in SA this year, Elton Jantjes who couldn’t even make it to carry tackle bags. Willie Le Roux, a sublime attacking force, one of my favourite players to watch on a rugby field, the only difference between him and Cheslyn Kolbe/Gio Aplon is purely opportunity. To compound matters further, a team for the first RWC match is named, the starting flank gets injured, logic says that the bench warmer, needing some game time should naturally step up, but nooo, we bring in a player out of position instead. If he needed game time should you not rather put Schalk on the bench because we know what a beast that man is. Then there was that time where the position of wing, generally reserved for people of higher melanin concentration in this country was given to a fullback, come centre come wing at the expense of highly capable and talented wings…both of those 2 experiments backfired spectacularly.

Don’t get me wrong I am not saying I want to see 15 black/English speaking players on the field, not even remotely. All I want is a situation where it doesn’t matter what you look like, or your heritage, if you have delivered, you have every opportunity to play in the green and gold and you can not tell me that this has been happening. What makes this hit home even harder is the fact that this current coach has had the biggest pool of talent to choose from, some of whom just happen to have a higher melanin content than others.

How can it ever be right that a coach names his first test side of 2015 boasted 17 out of 22 afrikaans/bulls related players (I left De Allende) out, because who cares what he is boy sure can play! Not much has changed, the squad for Saturday’s test is 18/22. Once again I am not saying give out Bok jerseys like Oprah gives gifts, just saying that if a player who doesn’t fit the ‘traditional Bok mould’ as I see it, puts up their hand, give them a chance to be great too.

Sure maybe you can ignore this for love of country, but I can’t... FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY!