All Blacks no go area – the picturesque Newlands Rugby Stadium.
Liam Napier explains the mystery of why South African rugby bosses are keeping the All Blacks away from the nation’s second-biggest city.
It’s one of the world’s most popular destinations. In 2008, 25,000 readers of South Africa’s Daily and Sunday Telegraph readers voted it the world’s best city.
But while the All Blacks travel to South Africa at least once every year, 2008 was the last time Cape Town hosted the All Blacks.
Sunday Star Times
Over that six-year period the All Blacks have played once each in Port Elizabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein, and four times in Johannesburg, the host of this morning’s test.
Cape Town and its Newlands Stadium, however, has been shunned.
While the Wallabies are regular guests, the All Blacks are on the outer.
On the face of it, it makes no sense. But like everything in South African rugby, there are various factors at play.
But there is one over-riding reason and it is concern over the hostility created by a sizeable minority of coloured supporters who openly support the All Blacks – and the Crusaders when they are in town – because of historical grievances against the apartheid regime.
After more than two decades of democracy, this section of South Africans still refuses to support the Springboks because of the team’s historical links to the past white elite.
Many of the young South African coloureds who grew up hating the Boks are now grandfathers, and the passion they had for the All Blacks has now passed through to a new generation. But the aggression and frustration have also grown stronger.
The “newer” generation Crusaders and All Black supporters.
The tensions have been heightened by the attitude of a group in the Western Cape, who believe that not enough coloured players are included in the Boks.
Twice in the past two years, fallout from the Crusaders’ Super Rugby fixtures against the Stormers in Cape Town made the front page.
Last year, on Easter weekend, fights erupted between locals and the Stormers were booed off the team bus on arrival at Newlands, their home stadium.
Springboks centurion Bryan Habana voiced his angst with the “Cape Crusaders” – the group of locals and Port Elizabeth-based fans who sparked the controversy – on Twitter.
“If I had the money I would happily buy all these ‘Cape Crusaders’ a one way ticket to Christchurch!! #disappointedproudsouthafrican,” Habana said at the time.
“Highly doubt there’s any place in the world where you get booed off your bus, at your home stadium, by your ‘fellow’ countrymen.
“And yet there are so many amazing, passionate, faithful supporters at Newlands!! We really appreciate your support!!!”
At the time, Western Province managing direction Rob Wagner said the specific group of supporters, which includes more than 3000 registered members, had overstepped the boundary of decency.
“There seems to be a history of incidents when the Stormers and the Crusaders play at Newlands and we are already in conversation with all role-players to ensure that we do not have a repeat of this in the future,” he said.
“We would like to apologise to any members of the crowd who were inconvenienced in any way on Saturday. We will never condone bad behaviour from anyone in the crowd at Newlands.
“A full investigation is taking place to ensure that Newlands remains an enjoyable rugby venue for all members of the rugby-watching public.”
In his autobiography, former World Cup-winning Springboks captain John Smit also made special mention of the satisfaction he took from beating the All Blacks in Cape Town in 2005 and how he couldn’t stand a section of locals supporting the visitors.
Unfortunately, this issue means that a huge demand for All Blacks fixtures to be played in Cape Town is being ignored.
There are said to have been some heated boardroom discussions where local union bosses have demanded the All Blacks’ presence, only to be told by high-ranking officials: “Your people are All Blacks supporters. That’s the problem.”
Previously, South African rugby bosses also felt they had a much better chance of beating the All Blacks at altitude and, particularly, at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park.
Increasingly that view is altering with the Boks needing to adjust just as much as visiting teams.
Privately, Boks coach Heyneke Meyer would prefer to play at sea level, as he believes the All Blacks kicking game benefits from the high veldt, where the ball flies higher and further.
“I probably shouldn’t say this but a few years ago the high veldt was a great advantage for us and always difficult for travelling sides,” Meyer said this week. “I don’t believe that’s the case these days.”
Next year there are murmurings the All Blacks will play at Durban – and still Capetonians wait.