OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 7:30 am
The final is creeping on us. I just love the South African vibe around town. It reminds me when we had the long tours when everybody is discussing the rugby. Everywhere you go in town, its just rugby and the final and the All Blacks and the Springboks. All the shops have this braai corner marketing the Springboks. You get Springbok fire lighters, Springbok wood, Springbok biltong, Springbok jerseys, Springbok wood, Springbok Castles, Springbok 5 year KWV. Everywhere even 80 year old tannies are talking rugby. Maybe they should market Springbok underpants with break marks after this last two WC matches.
Even loadshedding disappear and day to day worries. This is so lekker. I love it.
You see, this is what disappoints me so much about SA rugby over the last few years.
I grew up as a kid adoring SA rugby as my aunt would send me a new strip every year - Springbok, Western Province, Transvaal - along with regular videos of matches - in fairness it made my parents life a little difficult in the 70's and 80's as I wore my Springbok jersey everywhere.
As I got older I took every opportunity to get to SA and my aunt and uncle would always take me to games, I absolutely loved the whole experience and rugby culture. I deliberately went out to SA for the entire 2003 WC and spent the whole competition in and around Durban with a group of rugby lads that included an ex Springbok and an ex Natal captain - it was the time of my life being totally immersed in this incredible rugby culture.
So I don't know what has happened over the last few years, it has been such a steep decent into bitterness and paranoia. All the undermining of rugby tradition, the win at all costs and fuck the game stuff. It's really sad, frankly.