Archive for the 'Springbok' Category


I’m Just Tryin’ to be Strong for My Squad.

In perfect reverse motion to the intrepid voyages of those early explorers who sailed down from the frosty climes of the Northern Hemisphere seeking new lands to pillage down South, the rugby giants of the Southern Hemisphere will set off in the coming weeks to challenge our Northern brethren.
The South African squad, the Springboks, have […]

Jinkies

Wow, that was quite a Saturday. Air New Zealand Cup final, Home and Away omnibus, ACC3022H studying, Currie Cup Final, Sharks victory, Bok Squad announcement, Earl Rose, Braai.
The ANZ Cup final was as tight as expected with Auteroa’s two best sides slugging it out in Wellington’s best attempt at Spring weather. Westpac Stadium and all […]

June 24, 1995 - afternoon

The following is an extract from Playing the Enemy by UK journalist John Carlin. The book will be released in South Africa at the end of the week.
“Sixty minutes between two o’clock, when Nelson Mandela arrived at Ellis Park, and three o’clock, when the game began, everything happened. First there was a song, then a […]

Zavos on the Boks

Aussie journo Spiro Zavos finds it quite difficult to say nice things about the Boks. So when I stumbled on this little piece I just had to share it:
“The Springboks destruction of the Wallabies was the sort of defeat that gives massacres a bad name. This was a thrashing, a walloping and a devastation.
Go through […]

Bills on the Boks

Writing in the Pretoria News, Peter Bills reveals how bad things in the Bok camp have got:
“Unless you believe that rabbits really can be plucked out of conjuror’s hats, then Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has a critical decision to make this Monday morning.
Humiliated by the Durban crowd after South Africa’s latest abject defeat, De […]

Bravo Bobby

It’s been a long time since SuperSport did anything with their rugby coverage to impress me…a long, long time!
But the inclusion of Bobby Skinstad onto the panel discussion prior to Saturday’s Test was a master-stroke. The former Bok skipper is eloquent and insightful - adding genuine value.
It’s time to put Naas to pasture and replace […]

The world’s greatest rugby nation

Sportingo - James Mortimer (06/06/2008)
As the Southern Hemisphere international season commences, many - including some Kiwis - gloat about and mock the New Zealanders’ demise. How uninformed they are.
‘… let’s get this hollow commercial concept of World Cups out of the way. The only real tournament was played in 1987 – which the All Blacks […]

Springbok - Symbol of unity

The following appeared in the UK’s Independent:
“The springbok has been the instantly recognisable symbol of South Africa since 1906 and was preserved in the post-apartheid era. Now the ANC wants to replace it and unite all the nation’s sporting teams under one symbol – the protea.
For more than 100 years it has been a […]

SA Rugby problems

Interesting article from last weekends Sunday Tribune in Ireland……
“WELL it’s over, we bid adieu and thank Christ for that; it was the worst World Cup of six . . . even worse than the 1999 edition. The entertainment quotient and the quality of the rugby was very poor. Two, maybe three, games out of 48 […]

Richard Bands’ Try

Possibly the greatest prop try ever: