by David Rush
South Africa has won the Rugby World Cup, beating New Zealand 12-11 in a rain-soaked heavyweight tussle at the Stade de France. They certainly did it the hard way - and prevailed.
It’s almost ridiculous - how on earth does a team anywhere, in any sport, win three colossal matches by one point each time? France, England and New Zealand will look at this in the days and weeks to come and think ‘how did that happen?
The results seem to defy all logic. That’s until you know what heart and gees the South African rugby players possess and how well Handré Pollard can kick a piece of oval-shaped leather in pouring rain. Did he miss a kick this World Cup?
That gees is also true of many South Africans. Against seemingly impossible odds in everyday living, people of all colours, shapes, backgrounds and beliefs seem to find a way and often with a sense of humour, nog al.
Against all odds
In the excitement and tension of the Rugby World Cup, where all eyes are glued to the screen (even if it’s buffering), one can forget that several key players overcame injury to be at the tournament, including players Siya Kolisi, Handré Pollard and Cheslin Kolbe. Pollard has probably spent less time on a rugby field, in match time, this year than most men have spent shopping with their wives. It’s not his first serious injury - he nearly lost an arm after a shoulder issue some years ago. Some feared Kolisi’s only time being seen on TV was when he was promoting various products, but he somehow got himself fit and in form and was a colossus in terms of play and leadership. South Africa’s greatest-ever captain? If you’d told him that before the Rassie Erasmus-Jacques Nienaber era, he would probably have laughed.
The All Blacks are without doubt the Boks’ favourite foe. It is clear there’s a deep respect between the two nations. New Zealand, too, played their hearts out. Pieter-Steph du Toit was man of the match; he was a roving wrecking ball.
Carrying a nation’s hopes
Perhaps at the end of it all, the Springboks just wanted it more, wanted it so badly, and were desperate not to let down a nation so passionately supporting them. The Boks were carried by this support, there’s no doubt of it. Messages have flooded social media, and videos have been posted, in particular from schools.
It’s been an awesome time. Many have called on heavenly help, not just for the Boks but for what it means for our land. As one fan wrote: “Let’s hope. And pray. Which is unfair, but I hope God will understand we need the win for a greater purpose.” One joked that birthday boy Kolbe’s yellow card was so that he could go off the field to pray. The thought of not winning was too much to contemplate and it drove them onwards, withstanding onslaught after onslaught from the French, the English and, finally, New Zealand. At times it looked like the dream would be overrun by a blitz of black jerseys honing in on the try-line like heat-seeking missiles. It didn’t help that the Springboks lost Bongi Mbonambi in the second minute of the game.
Veteran magic
“Hey Deon (Fourie), you will play 77 minutes of the World Cup in France and South Africa will win. At age 37. Oh, and Duane ‘Thor’ Vermeulen, also 37, will be the starting number 8.” Would he have believed that two years ago if you had told him that’s what would happen? Remember when there were concerns Thor would not make the 2015 World Cup, due to a neck injury... now he’s a double world champion. It seems scarcely credible, never mind possible. One of Mandela’s favourite quotes was, ‘Nothing is impossible until it is done’.
