I found myself watching the Boks this weekend at a friend’s house for the first time together. While we watched the first quarter Habana went in under the posts. We cheered then we heard Argh Man! His son was supporting the All Blacks. He was shocked to say the least as this is now the 2nd in his family to be supporting the team from “The Land of the long white cloud”.
We see all these South Africans that support the ABs. It is something that really gets under my skin. How is it possible? Why? What is wrong that you need to support the ABs and why not Australia, England, Ireland, Wales or France? I have heard all the excuses under the sun. I am tired of supporting a team that isn’t selected on merit. I do not like the type of rugby we play. I don’t support a team that isn’t representing the demographics of the country. The worst excuse I have heard was I supported the Boks until Kitch Christy dropped Tiaan Strauss.
I had this story with my son when he was 5. Dad! Yes Sebastian? Who’s our support for? The STORMERS Sebastian! But I want to support the Bulls. Well boy we live in Cape Town and we were born in Cape Town. The STORMERS are Cape Town. So our support is for the STORMERS! But I want to support the Bulls because they beat us and Habana plays for them. We cannot choose where we from boy and you can support Habana when he plays for the Boks! We had this discussion for years when we watched sport we understood our heritage. We have just had Heritage day and funny thing is that the first thing some South Africans want to do is throw their heritage away.
I don’t know many Black people that support the ABs, mostly whites and coloureds. The few whites that support the ABs had rushed out and changed support before the disaster struck. As they did in April ’94 when they all stormed towards the shops and bought supplies to get them through the 20 years of famine ahead under the new government. The coloureds all believe they are being suppressed still. Yet they are something like 4% of the country’s demographic and when any national side is selected for a sport they represent 35% of the team. What it
Comes down to it they are actually scared of losing. This is why we don’t see them supporting Australia or any of the 6 Nations teams.
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