IF it’s a tactic to derail the Boks, they will not win.
Defending champs Springboks ousted the tough as nail England on Saturday’s quarter-finals 16-15, to make it to the finals against nemesis New Zealand
Yes, at times hundreds of fans who packed the Monte-Casino, Fourways, match screening were ‘breathing through the wound’ including this reporter, but our boys showed they’re not called champs for nothing.
Tenacity, discipline and fighting back spirit are our strong-hold.
That green and yellow jersey, flag, emblem and national song- are very significant. Its time our football heed that call, finish & klaar!
As reported last Friday, technical director Rassie Erasmus and head-coach Jacques Nienaber, did plot the down fall of the English- it wasn’t easy though.
The Webb Ellis defending champions Boks now face NZ next Saturday at Stade de France, in what has been termed the ‘mother of all finals’.
NZ are no pushovers for their pedigree and they would not add the numbers, but our boys will rise to the occasion and defend what is rightfully theirs after 80-minutes.
Talk of derailing- reports making rounds are Bongi Mbonambi racially abused English flanker Tom Curry.
Curry apparently asked referee, New Zealand’s Ben O’Keeffe, what he should do about being called a “white c***” at one stage during the match at the Stade de France.
In O’Keeffe’s microphone, Curry can be heard saying: “Sir, sir, if their hooker calls me a white c***, what do I do?”
O’Keeffe then replied: “Nothing, please. I will be on it.”
We do not know what really transpired, but one thing for sure, every team in the world/ or any athlete use(s) a special tactic or language against their opposition. It is not a crime.
Therefore, its only an assumption that a racial slur was used by Mbonambi- who was the captain on the evening.
SA Rugby have apparently responded by saying they are aware of the accusation levelled against Mbonambi.
“We are aware of the allegation, which we take very seriously, and are reviewing the available evidence. We will engage with Bongi if anything is found to substantiate the claim.”
Mbonambi is the Boks’ only specialist hooker in the group, with Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden the back-ups in the absence of the injured and unavailable Malcolm Marx.
The citing period for abuse, or foul play, is open for 48 hours after a match.
So, such tactics to derail Boks will never work, with or without Mbonambi.
Image (SA troops are doing this for the whole African continent, as they face NZ in the finals on Saturday).
