Amid load-shedding, soaring costs and ubiquitous corruption, South Africans are craving a real victory
Springbok fans react during the team's departure ceremony for the Rugby World Cup 2023 at OR Tambo International Airport on August 12, 2023. took the coverage of the Rugby World Cup four years ago.
The Boks took on New Zealand in their first match while I was in the Kruger National Park for the World Wildlife Summit. Before any speakers mentioned animals, a laptop was connected to a projector and the first thing we saw was our national team. Each Springbok game elicited excitement with a hint of nervousness, and each time the Springboks passed the test during what was a tough period for the country. For me, the entire experience was not so much about our team winning the World Cup as it was about the fight to conquer every challenge with unity.
I stand by that. In true South African fashion — and only in a way that South Africans can — the celebrations were beautiful. Lockdowns stopped gatherings. It was necessary, but it affected our enthusiasm, made us lose interest in things we once loved and tied us up in cocoons of discomfort that, as in Stockholm syndrome, we were unwilling to leave.
Tickets were sold for as little as R20, and yet there was still a sea of empty seats. Pre-Covid, this type of match would have been packed to capacity.
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