Similar to the Jane Austen classic, South African Rugby is a mixture of misplaced pride, shady characters with delusions of grandeur and the inability to focus on the obvious, all of which leads to the degradation and ultimate destruction of that which really matters.
Following the Springboks tour of Australia and New Zealand, I asked a couple of everyday rugby supporters what their single biggest disappointment was. There was some reference to coaching, coaching personalities and ability, team selections and game strategy or plans, but the common theme from most of the responses was the lack of pride and passion in something we all hold very dear, the Springbok jersey.
South Africa is a very proud sporting nation. It is bred into our culture from a very young age based largely on historical achievements and events which contributes to this sense of responsibility we believe should be present even today, 100 years later. It is what motivates those responses I received from rugby fans on Sunday (some of whom were born post-isolation) or quotes similar to what I received from a friend yesterday which reads; “You can’t judge the present if you don’t know your history.”
Pride, specifically in sport, is one of our greatest assets, but it can also become our greatest enemy.
No-one is exempt from this, our misplaced pride as supporters often leads us into believing that one player is more deserved of wearing the Springbok jersey than another where this is based more on the colour of the jersey that individual wears at union representative level against the player ‘that does not deserve to be there’. What happens then is that our personal preference, or rather, prejudice, takes over. Prejudice controlling your sense of pride.
Players too fall into this trap. The ‘honour’ and pride associated to an event such as the Rugby World Cup often sees players focus or misplace their pride in the Springbok jersey from what it already is and represents, to something that still needs to take place. It can also see players who believe they can still serve the cause (Springbok Rugby) by accomplishing something special (in future) and through that stick around for a year or two too long where they should have simply sat back, call it a day and celebrate their contributions already made to Springbok rugby and its history.
Coaches who believe they serve Springbok rugby best by qualifying or justifying losses as collateral damage with the eye on the bigger prize also fall into this same trap of misplaced pride in the cause.
Even administrators who close multi-million Rand deals around boardroom tables does so for the purpose of ‘serving the game’ and its interests but because it does not conform to our standards of what is best ‘for the cause’ we allow our personal prejudice to take control.
The most common mistake all of us make at all levels of the game is that our personal prejudice overshadow all logic where we all believe we might be serving the cause where the only thing we actually do is trying to quantify, or even qualify our own reasoning.
We use our personal prejudice not only to judge the ‘cause’ (Springbok Rugby), but also those trying to serve it.
The result of this can be seen in the last two weeks of Springbok rugby, where (I have no doubt) everyone wanted to serve it and do it justice by either kitting yourself out as supporters, pulling the jersey over your head for the 1st or 100th time as a player, or selecting players and team strategies as a coach, but mainly failed because our personal prejudice controlled our supposed (misplaced) pride.
A very wise man once told me that you can only serve something if you believe that something to be greater than yourself, only then will you stop concerning yourself with what that one thing may become, and appreciate it for what it already is today.
I would never go so far as to say pride is misplaced.
Pride is exactly what you call it, being proud of the history and achievements a particular sport has, and thus the legacy it has or is leaving behind.
I do agree however that personal prejudice effects the ability to reason without emotion. But then that is human.
It is important to realise that the loyalty or association a person has for a specific team and it’s players comes from a lifelong experience, it is seldom that a person is found who can switch his loyalty from one team to another, if that is the case, he was most likely never a loyal fan in the first place.
I think the reason we do become prejudiced is because our emotions can run high, especially when it comes to rugby. I don’t think any other sport provides the supporter with a carnal or almost barbaric instincts and emotions such as this game.
I have seen on every site I discuss rugby that when being critical and not even derogatory about a player from a particular supporters team, that there is an instinctive defense of such a player even if deep down the supporter is aware of those shortcomings in a player.
After all, we love this sport and feel the same way about referees, coaches, players, administration and the like.
O flok, kyk die Bokkie spring onderstebo!
Dis omtrent presies wat blerrie aan die gang is… hy moes nou nog eintlik net ge-nose-dive het, dan was alles 100% akkuraat!
Of… die Bokkie moes dalk wydsbeen gelê het met klompie Kiwi’s en Wallabies wat toustaan om hom om die beurt te spyker….
Regarding the Article… excellent like always, Morné PissMier…
grootblousmile wrote:
Ja die bokkie le op sy rug, reg vir die molestering wat op pad is.
4@ biltongbek:
Hehehe, ek was reeds besig om dit by te voeg by my comment toe jy dit tik…
morné
“The most common mistake all of us make at all levels of the game is that our personal prejudice overshadow all logic where we all believe we might be serving the cause where the only thing we actually do is trying to quantify, or even qualify our own reasoning” …. soooooooooo true!!
..
anyway, well written article … as usual!!
Good article Morne’…as always.
My view of this matter is as follows.
When I engage with Springbok Rugby or Sharks rugby for that matter I am engaging with the emotional side of my nature in a way that refreshes and renews me. I do not want to apply logic when it comes to one of my earliest instincts, learned at my Grandfathers knee and that is pride and passion about anything South African and in particular pride and passion regarding the Springbok jersey. My longest held desire in my life is to perform for my country in the Green and Gold colours and in particular the Springbok colours. For the sake of being “correct” I even transferred this passion to the Protea. Even when I attained the lofty position of competing for my country…..I just wanted to go out and do it again. Performing is when one applies logic first and passion second….the players should think about this. Spectating or supporting is all about passion…..I don’t want to be logical and unemotional about watching a sport that I love. All of us are prejudiced in one way or another as even if we live in villages next to each other, there will always be something that is different. I have no doubt that anyone who puts the Bok jersey on wants to perform beyond themselves….but in essence not playing the best guy in a position is not correct not for those who love the sport or for the player in question. I personally believe quota’s are no longer part of the game, the best guys are in the positions they should be in according to the coach and selection panels view….we may differ with that view. So if there is any ire about a blatant wrong choice it should be directed at the coaches and selection panel and perhaps management. At this stage of the game with the world cup around the corner and just get behind everybody as loyal supporters. I personally like the idea that we dicked around with younger and less experienced players on the overseas leg of Tri Nations and if the Kiwi’s and Ozzies didn’t like it….wellll fukem…..they get away with enough sh!t as it is. A couple of those youngsters (and oldsters) have shown they have the right stuff and that after all was the purpose of the exercise. If everyone approaches this world cup with commitment and passion we have it in the bag with the ammunition and tools at our disposal. JMHO
interesting article i saw in the cape argus this afternoon
…
http://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/fears-mount-for-boks-1.1110460
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its a bit long, so i
1. dont want to copy and paste the whole article here
2. i dont want to take out only the parts i agree with
@ 4man:
Well spoken
@ 4man:
That is a top post sir.
@ Morné:
Thanks Morne’ and Biltongbek….it is merely how I feel about it.
I feel like a bit of a biltongbek at the moment after successfully bringing back Karoo Blesbok (Dorcas Dorcas) and Springbok (Antidorcas Marsupialis) through Heathrow….in its dried form after 10 days of hanging and shot on the 15th and 16th July. 6 shots fired with my trusty 45 year old .3006 Musgrave with the Mauser action and the Lyttleton barrel and 6 antelope taken. The two Blesbok at 300 meters plus and the Springbok between 150 and 250 metres, one a neck shot in the run…..my wife who was sitting with me looked impressed…..I think. 😉
@ 4man:
meat (biltong) save? great man , next time we plan a ele :LOL:
@ superBul:
I have actually eaten Olifant biltong….quite a while ago though. My mate also made some chili Waterbuck biltong and Zebra, must say I didn’t care for the Zebra (kept on thinking about Sea Cottage), but the chili Waterbok billies was seriously lekker…..I let it get very dry first, so all that yellow fat was dissipated.
@ 4man:
You must please stop talking about biltong, I am on a self imposed strictly no biltong diet, and all this talking I might just be inclined to google your address and burgle your biltong stash
@ biltongbek:
You have about 11,000 kilometres to go to do that, so if you make it this far, you can have some with pleasure….I’ll even get some more from my Saffa supplier who uses Dutch beef.
@ 4man:Very good post 4man. Throughly enjoyed reading it.
Also enjoyed the articles on your tour company. Well thought out and the photos as well. Wish you well with it.
Hope you had a great time back in SA.
Btw, the weather now in Durbs is back to normal superb winter weather. Sea is looking its best again.
Sorry not to catch up with you while I was in London. Was only there for a few days and the schedule was tight. Probably another time mate. Will come over again next year. Probably in August.
Anyhow enjoyed your post plenty.
@ Puma:16 – 4man was referring to your post 7. Somehow the post number you answer back to here don’t appear. Will have to speak to our webmaster (gbs) about it…hehe.
Cheers mate.
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