EDITORIAL: Rugby cause for cheer, not delusion

Neverland is a fictional place made famous in the works of JM Barrie. It is a faraway place, where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys and other mythical creatures reside. Although not everyone who went to Neverland ceased to age, its most famous resident refused to grow up.

And yet, in the euphoria of our Rugby World Cup victory last weekend it is exactly this notion that has been trotted out again. The rainbow nation, made famous in the works of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, bless his heart, has never existed outside of the nomenclature of the industrial nation-building complex. It has always been an ambition, not a reality lived by the 60-odd million people living in this country.

And yes, we have to admit that this particular World Cup victory does feel different to that other Neverland moment in 1995, when Francois Pienaar accepted the trophy from a beaming Mandela. For one, the fact that a black man held aloft that trophy on behalf of South Africa in Yokohama last week was quite special itself. But it was another moment that was especially poignant. Kolisi asked coach Rassie Erasmus to accept the trophy with him. The coach refused. This was, after all, Kolisi’s right.

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Soweto's rugby women look to Springboks for inspirationKhanyisile Makumbana knew she couldn't miss the Springboks' victorious parade through Soweto after their Rugby World Cup triumph in Japan. The 16-year-old plays rugby in the famous black township on the edge of Johannesburg and was overcome with emotion on Thursday as she watched a hugely symbolic trip through a neighbourhood where the rugby team was once reviled.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

Free State Rugby Union up in arms over Boks trophy paradeThe world champions continue their victory parade on Friday. I really don’t blame these provinces, rugby is big in free state and northern cape, must be painful to be excluded Shouldve done all provinces from the get go. Its a national team after all. How can a trophy not pass the center of the country 😭
Source: eNCA - 🏆 49. / 51 Read more »

'Apartheid killed rugby culture of the Xhosa nation' - Zakes MdaAuthor Zakes Mda says rugby used to be an integral part of the Xhosa culture, but was 'killed by apartheid.' Why? Surely the could have played if they wanted to? Migrant labor was the worst and second is corruption Mara Bra Zakes. We are here now let's resurrect it and go forward. Analysing apartheid 25 years after defeating it does not help us. Those who were born in 1994 already spent a third of their life span. They will be old and we'll still be focusing on apartheid. Free the mind.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

WATCH: KwaMashu celebrates Bok victory tour with a game of rugby | Independent on SaturdayLocal taxi drivers on top of the taxi rank roof sang Shosholoza as Captain Siya Kolisi raised the William Webb Ellis Trophy in their direction
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

WATCH: Springbok's Faf de Klerk is the 'chaotic' boyfriend SA rugby fans love | Cape ArgusThe lovefest for Springbok scrumhalf FafdeKlerk continues as the team goes on their championship tour across the country. I love this guy ❣ Faf for Bachelorette party StreetwiseWedding KfcProposal
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How to stay safe in South Africa? Play rugby, says women's captainBabalwa Latsha said that the rugby field is one of the few places she feels safe in South Africa, where a woman is murdered every three hours. Stop spreading lies teenagers get assaulted from sport fields in townships Mxm A most unfortunate headline for an otherwise positive story...
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