Rugby World Cup - 2007

Real supporters !!! (I think this pic dates back a few years - maybe to 1995)
Spotted in K'dorp West (where else?) BMW convertible, with springbok on the bonnet, on in the passanger seat, and a flag tied to the aerial.....
Great shirt (even if it does refer to the rugby 7's.....)
Time for glory!
A proud moment for all South Africans!!

By now all of this is history, but I still want to have my say around the events of the past week or so in South Africa.

Once we had won the semi-final, all hell broke loose! Everyone had to have a rugby shirt, everyone had to have a flag. The people went moggy with the whole concept of us winning the world cup for a second time.

Roadside hawkers were doing a brisk trade. Flags went from ZAR100 on one day, to ZAR150 the next. People were booing the Metro police who had shut down a shop selling counterfeit shirts before they could buy one.

Schools and corporates around the country declared Friday "Green and Gold" day. That is, the day before the final, everyone would go to their respective places wearing their memorabilia. Second hand car dealers were displaying green and gold balloons. I even saw a sign outside a farm stall, green background with "peaches" written in gold!!!

Petrol jockeys were dressed accordingly, and Steers, a local fast food outlet was selling "Green Burgers" Literally! The bread bun was green!

Everyone was talking about having green blood in their veins. All of a sudden we were a united South Africa. People from all walks of life, rich & poor, Black / white / coloured / Indian / Asian, men & women, children & adults..... everyone united behind our team.

Newspapers changed their colours for the green and gold. Every front page for the week carried stories of the rugby game coming. People were fighting for seats on any flight out of RSA to France. Tickets on E Bay were trading for over ZAR15000!!!!!

Plans were made for big outdoor events, with big screens, plenty alcohol, much partying....

The fact that we had beaten England 36-0 earlier in the tournament gave SA the feeling of invincibility for the final. There was no way we could lose this one.

On the day the Springboks didn't disappoint. Winning 15-6 was great, even if we didn't score a try. It was a hard game, partly scrappy, but well managed by the ref, (I thought).
Much jubilation was had by all, and on the drive home after there were hundreds of revellers all over the place. Fireworks, hooters blowing, alcohol flowing.

Sunday's papers were explosive with all the information.
We were the world rugby champions, our coach was voted coach of the year, Brian Habana was voted player of the year.

This morning, Tuesday, the Springboks arrived back in South Africa at about 7am. OR Tambo airport was chaos. People had been asked to come there to give the Boks a resounding welcome. Some people had slept there overnight just to ensure that they got close to the stage.

It was well attended, but calls in to the radio station was mostly complaints because between the press, and the police (security) it was almost impossible to see the players. Pity, because the welcome home was supposed to be an affair for the supporters, not the press. They were having a press meeting after.

All's well that ends well though, and there are plans for ticket parades in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town later this week. Maybe Durban and Bloemfontein will get a look too.

The the Bokke - You did us proud. Thank you for all your efforts. Thank you for your sacrifices made over the past 4 years. Yes at times we did doubt you, but in the end, you proved the doubters wrong. You are the worlds best. All of you.


Salagatle!