Backing Bafana
17 May 2010
Rugby fans must come to football’s party.
When the 1995 Rugby World Cup was held in South Africa, the sport and the Springboks deservedly took centre stage. South Africans, black and white, threw their support behind the team, which is why Francois Pienaar thanked all 42 million of his countrymen, and not just the 62 000 at Ellis Park, before lifting the Webb Ellis Cup.
This year’s Fifa World Cup gives us the chance to revive that spirit of unity and goodwill, which is why SA Rugby magazine has a football-themed cover this month. The Springboks, including Pierre Spies, have pledged their support to Bafana Bafana, and we urge all rugby fans to do the same.
Click here to see what’s in the new issue
Our national football team had a disappointing build-up to the tournament, but so did Pienaar’s Boks before their World Cup campaign. They weren’t expected to progress past the quarter-final stage but a win against the Wallabies in the opening match at Newlands gave them a massive confidence boost and put them on the ‘high road’ to the final.
If Bafana beat Mexico in the opening match of the World Cup at Soccer City they could go on to reach the second round, and their encouraging performances against Spain and Brazil (ranked No 1 and 2 in the world respectively) at last year’s Confederations Cup showed they can perform on a big stage.
However, while the majority of South Africans will be suffering from football fever in June, the Springboks will still demand attention. Their Tests in June, against Wales in Cardiff, France in Cape Town, and Italy in Witbank and East London, raise several interesting questions.
Peter de Villiers is expected to select some overseas-based players for the game against Wales as it takes place a week after the Super 14 final. But will that new-look team have enough time to train together and if the overseas-based players excel, will they then be considered for future Tests?
How will the first-choice Springbok side, presumably made up entirely of home-based players, perform in their first match together this season, against Six Nations champions France? In Jake White’s third year in charge of the Boks, Les Bleus’ 36-26 win at Newlands signalled the beginning of a nightmare 2006 season that almost cost White his job. De Villiers could find himself under similar pressure in his third year if the Boks suffer another defeat to the French.
The two Tests against Italy will give De Villiers a chance to rest his stars and give his fringe players game time. But which of the Bok midweek players who toured Europe last year will get another chance to impress? And will the coach reward Super 14 form?
Four consecutive wins would erase the bad memories of last year’s European tour and ensure John Smit’s side enter the Tri-Nations as favourites to defend their title. Let’s hope the Boks, and Bafana, will rise to the challenge in June.
By Simon Borchardt
121 Comments
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16 May 2010, 19:35 pm
bafana dragons
16 May 2010, 19:50 pm
Look good luck to all soccer fans, and I hope they all have a great time.
Good luck to Bafana too.
But quite simply, I cannot stand football.
16 May 2010, 19:55 pm
i have my 3 tickets in my paws….including a quarter final.
Just cant wait…….a spectacle of note!
16 May 2010, 19:58 pm
Not a fan of the beautiful game myself, but the excitement will be something to experience. Might just convert a few people. If not, no worries, just enjoy the once in a lifetime event…
16 May 2010, 20:02 pm
Good luck Bafana.
Have my Bafana t-shirt. Car flag. Will support them all the way. Hope they make the 2nd round. Will be proud if them if they do.
Going to be a awesome atmosphere. Not a great Football fan but will really get into this experience for sure.
16 May 2010, 20:03 pm
I agree, it’s time we got behind Bafana, it doesn’t matter if they win or not.
I got off my horse and bought some flag covers for my car… feels good to be part of something.
Go Bafana
16 May 2010, 20:07 pm
Go Bafana, make us proud!!
Wherever we are, we are behind you!!
16 May 2010, 20:07 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-6: And I really think football is like watching paint dry but still, go guys.
16 May 2010, 20:18 pm
@pissant: #2 you’re missing out, such a fantastic sport.
@goyougoodthing: #7 different strokes for different folks, some guiness premiership rugby is worse than watching paint dry…
16 May 2010, 20:26 pm
Its an awesome time to be a Saffa (Malema and the rest aside). If anyone gets the chance to see THE BEST FOOTBALL FANS IN THE WORLD go and experience it. I have been to a couple of these new stadiums and they are awesome. I am goin to shout my lungs out for Bafana. I hope to see all of you there!
16 May 2010, 20:31 pm
The atmosphere is truly building up, Football Fridays are swelling and a great percentage of those in Bafana shirts in Pretoria are those of lesser pigmentation. Great to see. North Korea made the semi-finals on home soil so with a bit of luck we might experience something magical. Go Bafana! Theko, Steven, Matthew, Franklin and the rest of the boys; we are right behind you.
16 May 2010, 20:31 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-6: I have tickets to the Brazil/Portugal game. Really looking forward to that. Will go in my Bafana shirt though…hahaha. Have my car flag on already. Atmosphere up here in Joburg already a huge, huge buzz. Everyone has flags on their cars already.
The whole country supporte us our turn to support Bafana.
16 May 2010, 20:38 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-9:
I will make an effort to watch Bafana, but I simply not a fan of the sport.
16 May 2010, 20:44 pm
I am also not a real fan of the sport but I enjoy the big tourneys. Anybody know where I can get mirror socks in jhb north? Robots?
16 May 2010, 20:48 pm
Have to say I was thrilled to see so many white folk in SA with Bafana shirts on…..
Traditionally the black sport and all that…
Just like the above article says the whole country got behind the Boks in 95.
All eyes are on SA now so do yourselves proud.
It really is the greatest show on earth.
So much bigger than rugby on the world stage even if you do prefer rugby
16 May 2010, 20:56 pm
@Partizan(Partizan)-14: At the traffic Lights. They sell them everywhere. Also the little flags you hang on your windows.
16 May 2010, 20:58 pm
I’m so tired of people giving opinions on what I should do, what I should think and what I should feel.
How about letting people decide for themselves on these matters, hmmm?
16 May 2010, 21:09 pm
I wear my yellow Bafana t-shirt over here in London with pride – stopped counting how many people stopped me and asked me where they can get one… Go Bafana-Bafana!! It is truly a beautiful game – if you don’t believe me, start watching and enjoy!
16 May 2010, 21:13 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-18: \
Think the boys will punch above their weight.
The home side usually gets the rub of the green with the refs.
Home team yet to fail to make it past the first round
With the crowd and those infernal Vuvuzelas it will be hard to stop!
16 May 2010, 21:16 pm
@Flametop(Flametop)-19: Here’s hoping! We surely need all we can get – otherwise we’ll be in the history book as the first hosts ever to NOT make the 2nd round…
16 May 2010, 21:19 pm
@Puma(Puma)-5:
Hey Puma
Howzit
16 May 2010, 21:20 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-20:
Either way I reckon Africans know how to party.
you’re all like paddies in the sun.
It’s gonna be great.
Just don’t cheer for the French!
16 May 2010, 21:28 pm
First team South Africa
Second team Germany
One of them will WIN – mark my words!
16 May 2010, 21:30 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-21: Howzit Coach, How you doing? You must be looking forward to Stormers semi this weekend. Should be a cracker. Well both semi finals should be.
Just a hi and bye. Out of here now.
16 May 2010, 21:41 pm
@Pollwardotcoza(NFLvsRugby)-23: Put your money on the Spanish….
16 May 2010, 21:49 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-25:
No can do
– SA first and foremost and then I just bought a house in Germany, so they are second
I have high hopes
16 May 2010, 22:03 pm
I’ll support them 100%. But lets be honest, they’re *****. Seriously.
16 May 2010, 22:04 pm
@racheltjiedebeer(racheltjiedebeer)-27: ***** = s hyte.
good l0rd this censorship is childish.
16 May 2010, 22:04 pm
How utterly pathetic – like a child being told to clean his room, SA rugby fans are told to support Bafana. Surely as adults we can choose for ourselves whether we prefer to watch paint dry or a thrilling football match that finishes 0 – 0?
16 May 2010, 22:08 pm
Frankly this ‘support bafana’ business comes across as somewhat contrived.
No doubt most saffers will, but they are no-hopers. Shouldn’t even be at the tournament.
16 May 2010, 22:28 pm
I’m not a football fan myself but I always watch the World Cup. Earliest I can remember was Italia ’90 and collecting those Coke cans with all the countries flags on. I’m fully behind SA and hope they give a good account of themselves.
16 May 2010, 22:46 pm
30
The problem with pessemists is that they always assume to be right. But each to their own. Like most fans I never give up on my team. And we will claim our rightful place as one of the top as we were before.
16 May 2010, 22:56 pm
@skunk(skunk)-32: look I don’t want to throw a dampner on your optimism but SA have never held a “rightful place as one of the top [teams].”
We may once have been an African “giant” along with the likes of Cameroon, Nigeria and Tunisia but this hardly means anything on the world stage where African teams play second fiddle to the real giants.
But I like your optimism, however misguided!
16 May 2010, 23:06 pm
Have a good time and great tournament, South Africa.
16 May 2010, 23:10 pm
Bafana have beaten Mexico away before. I remember the game.. it was more like Supersport Utd against Mexico in terms of team selection.. The team contained no real stars .. so its not impossible.. We also have one of the greatest players on earth playing for bafana.. The magistic Steven Pienaar!!!
16 May 2010, 23:13 pm
@Shaunsagod(Shaunsagod)-35: Magistic…?? ok I meant Majestic??.. Ok I meant that he is fking Awesome!!
16 May 2010, 23:19 pm
Mathew Booth sweeps.. Mokoena destroys.. Sibaya enforces.. Pienaar creates.. Benni strikes.. The rest of troops sweat blood.. The dream is possible!!
16 May 2010, 23:26 pm
Soccer? Pffft…
16 May 2010, 23:30 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-38: Take it you will be missing the greatest show on earth.. ?? among other great things in life or should I say life itself??
17 May 2010, 00:31 am
39. Shaunsadog(Shaunsadog)you fled your country to find a better job abroad. Ha lol you sell out. The story is shaun always hid at the back of the protests ask some of his ex mates…coward!
As for the Football we all support south africa team know matter the make up or their poor management.
Go Bafana Bafana…
17 May 2010, 01:20 am
I have some friends from the US coming over. Can not wait to take the opportunity to introduce them to THE sport, played by the Manne-Manne and not the Boys-Boys…
Hope the guys will make it to the second round, and if they fail to, will get my support behind the rest of Africa.
17 May 2010, 03:27 am
@Shaunsagod(Shaunsagod)-39: Greatest show on earth? That would be the one happening in NZ in 2011.
17 May 2010, 06:20 am
the world cup final we’d all like to see
bafana bafana / all whites
17 May 2010, 06:41 am
I hope they get thrashed in every single game, although I don’t have to hope too hard. This peasant sport is the reason why Loftus has been taken away from the Bulls.
17 May 2010, 07:30 am
Bought myself this yellow canary kapoen colour shirt…. eish…..
17 May 2010, 07:37 am
What do you guys think of the cover? Give me some feedback (positive or negative) and your comment could appear in the next issue.
17 May 2010, 07:41 am
@Staal(Staal)-45:
ek kan nie eers een bekostig nie.
17 May 2010, 08:42 am
Rugby fans do not have to do anything, they can decide what to watch and who to support
Maybe act like some of those Cape rugby fans and support Germany or even Brazil
Who cares? I will manage my expectations by thinking that Bafana will lose all their pool games and not progress, that way there is no false expectations
17 May 2010, 08:49 am
It’s going to be a huge party and a great advertisement for SA’s ability to host major events. I am going to give it my full support and make sure tourists have a great time in our country!
Good luck to Bafana! I still support you even if you’re not so hot at the moment!
Kind of like I still support the Lions…
Funny how you didn’t see too many Bull supporters when they lost every game in 2002 and had to be given a mercy sponsorship by Momentum!!
17 May 2010, 08:52 am
I think it’s a great cover, Simon. Brilliant that the Boks are getting behind the team. It will definitely foster unity in the country, I think.
My feeling would have been to put Spies in the Bafana jersey rather though..
What was the debate behind that (if there was any)?
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