Poor Proteas, all forgotten

The poor Proteas. Not only have they had to watch glumly as Springbok-fever reached new heights, knowing that they themselves gave up two opportunities this year to receive the same treatment (well, okay, perhaps not quite the same - cricket simply doesn't inspire the same level of frenzy in the greater populace as rugby does - but similar, at any rate); but then, to add insult to that cruel injury, we all go and forget that they're even playing! They're over in Pakistan right now, risking life and limb as bombers strike a mere 800km away, and we see fit to just forget about them? What a horrible nation of fickle sports-supporters we are.

As it turns out, perhaps it's better that we don't pay too much attention right now: they're 197 all out after 49.2 overs. Paki Power seems to be kicking in (bit of a mixed sporting metaphor there, but you get the idea).

You said it, Francois

Perhaps this sums up the whole Springbok World Cup experience: when asked this morning what he was thinking as he lined up to take that penalty on Saturday, Francois Steyn replied matter-of-factly, "Nothing really... because I knew that if I screwed up, there were team-mates behind me who would cover for me."

Conquerors indeed

I don't think there's too much to be said that hasn't already been said. What a fantastic weekend it was!

I can't imagine there's anyone today who would dispute that the Springboks were the team most deserving of the title. They were calm throughout the tournament, put some excellent scores on the board, and pulled through in the tight games when it mattered. They have the bearing of true champions, and they appear as such a cohesive unit. Not one of them could be accused of having let the side down at any time - they put their heads down and worked TOGETHER to achieve a common goal. Big lessons there for the rest of us...

So the party continues, and will do at least until the Springboks conclude their cross-country tour. Let's hope this feeling stays with us a lot longer than that; we sure need it.

Why is everything so GREEEEEN?

It's a hot hot hot day in Cape Town, and everyone is dressed appropriately - in green. It's good to be here now. Even a few people who are totally anti-sport (I ask you!) have admitted that they'll be glancing at the screen every few minutes tomorrow night. For my part, well, I'll be GLUED to it, and woe to the man or woman who walks past to get a drink as Habana dives over the try-line.

We're going to be watching the game at Boktown (the Springbok Pub in Newlands) - same place we watched the quarter- and semi-finals. The atmosphere is going to be phenomenal.

So, no-one has any stock of Springbok shirts (except for a few really dodgy ones I spotted at Tygervalley's Game earlier today - thick and fleecy and rather old-fashioned...); and houses, cars, our neighbourhood Sasol garage, and a few human faces are all sporting Springbok and SA flags. Everyone's favourite radio station, Radio 2000, played a few awesome tracks this morning as part of their build-up - one of them was Johnny Clegg's rousing Impi. I'll admit that I danced in the lounge, all on my own. Win or lose, it's going to be a good night tomorrow.

By the way, the post title will make sense if you've seen Death at a Funeral ;).

Big sigh of relief

That was nerve-wracking. I don't think I can take any more sporting disappointments this year, and I really have my heart set on the Springboks winning that cup. We always knew it was going to be a tough game, given the way the island nations play (and the size of those men!). But 20-20 with 20 minutes to go? Way too close for my liking. I don't mind the opposition getting points on the board, as long as my team has a lot more points on the board first! At times I couldn't watch, and I felt the same way I did during that Cricket World Cup game against Sri Lanka (well, actually it was just against Malinga...). As you may recall, in a rare moment of true grit rivalled only by the 438 game, the Proteas managed to scrape through that one too. Is there special heart medicine for sport fans?

I just love the way this team seems to be able to rebound after a setback, and I think that's the quality that's going to take them all the way. After those two Fijian tries, the Springboks looked like a TEAM, not like a bunch of bewildered orphans. I'm sure it has a lot to do with that Sasol ad... (actually, that's only half a joke. It has to help your confidence immensely when you've been cast as a herd of superhuman mutant conquerors in one of the best TV ads we've seen in a while. Personally, I get goosebumps every time I hear John Smit's voice thundering, "Tonight... we CONQUER!")

I'm looking forward to a France/SA final - playing England in the final would just be too easy, and not because of that 36-0 thing (in fact I'm sure that score would galvanise the English into serious action in the final), but because the French HATE the English and the crowd would be behind us all the way.

And besides, what better way to win a world cup than by beating the host nation in the final?

I called it

I sure did - my France 2007 World Cup Picks on Facebook will bear that out, for those who are naturally sceptical of anyone who claims a prediction after the fact (as am I). But I did, I said France would kick New Zealand out of the World Cup, with a points difference of less than 13. *end brag

You think?

Just chuckled at a rather understated headline on the RWC website: "New Zealand too strong for Romania". Ummm, was that ever in doubt? They seem surprised, as though we could have perhaps expected a different headline: "Close contest between New Zealand and Romania", "Clash of the Titans: New Zealand vs Romania", or perhaps "Romania catch New Zealand in second half".

Actually, I think the poor writers over there are running out of ways to say defeated, triumphed, overwhelmed, conquered, trounced, annihilated, destroyed, made mincemeat of, crushed, vanquished, whitewashed... Well, there are a few new ideas right there.

To be fair, Romania did score a lone try. To New Zealand's slightly "stronger" 13...