Archive for the ‘rugby’ Category
Sunday, October 9th, 2011 |
Sjoe! So that’s Rugby World Cup 2011 for the Springboks. Over and done with.
The team played with so much heart that we almost forget that some people didn’t believe they would make it to the quarter-finals. And make it hard to be critical of them.
Because they were supposedly in the group of death.
And the players were not exactly young and sprightly. Oh and Peter de Villiers was not Jake White!
So while I am very proud of the players and coaching team for being competitive against all odds, we are ranked as one of the top 3 test playing rugby nations. And losing in the quarter finals is nothing to be proud of.
Surely there are no more disappointed people than the players themselves and many of them will never play at a World Cup again.
So well played to them…
But they did lose in the quarter finals of a rugby world cup.
And questions have to be asked in the aftermath.
Like…was it the right choice to go with so much experience? Or to be less politically correct – older players.
We’ll never know. Although what we do know is that the younger players brought an energy to the matches when they were on the field.
But the experienced players helped win the group matches.
So that’s that.
Here’s hoping for a much better performance and result in England in 2015.
Posted in rugby | 3 Comments »
Sunday, June 19th, 2011 |
So it’s into the semi-finals for the second time in two years for the Stormers. Hopefully this time we go one step better and win the damn trophy.
Their semi-final will be at Newlands which should help…although for some reason other teams have been getting lots of support here in Cape Town.
I wonder why…
Of course the New Zealand teams and particularly the All Blacks, have traditionally received support from the some on the Cape Flats.
Not that I get it where the Stormers or WP are concerned. The Springboks, to a certain extent, yes.
I admittedly supported the All Blacks during the isolation era. Maybe it was the name 
or their open style of rugby? But that was a long time ago. I don’t know why I chose them in particular. Although it might have had something to do with my grandfather who died in 1983.
(We watched the Springboks ill-fated tour to New Zealand on tv… one of my earlier memories.)
Anyway, we make our choices for whatever reason.
I am and have always been a Western Province supporter even though I loathe the politics of this city.
Sport is separate from politics in my mind. Unless of course the Stormers or WP pick an all white team 
The support for especially the Bulls and the Sharks at Newlands could mean their supporters are moving to Cape Town in droves. Heaven forbid!
Regardless of the politics of sport, here’s wishing the Crusaders and Sharks a tough well fought game on Saturday. May the tire each other out while the Stormers chill out and rest.
Which ever team wins (I hardly care who), here’s looking towards a Stormers final at Newlands in a few week’s time. And of course a Super 15 trophy.
Posted in rugby | 6 Comments »
Monday, April 4th, 2011 |
Our Cape Town teams, the Cobras and Stormers kept their fans happy for another weekend, with victory over their opponents.
The Cape Cobras won their 4 day match against the Warriors to take the Supersport Series for the second year in a row!
Well done Cobras!
Add that to their T20 victory and it might be stating the obvious that our cricketers have had a fantastic season.
The Stormers aren’t doing too badly themselves. Still unbeaten this season in the Super 15!
A few ‘knowlegeable’ people thought they would come undone against the Sharks in Durban.
Who can blame them, as the Stormers/Western Province have often lost the plot in Durbs.
But not this time!
They were their new usual selves. Consistent, disciplined and confident.
Beating the other SA teams is always fun and doing it against the Bulls and Sharks is extra fun.
Well done to the Stormers! Long may this run of good form continue!
Posted in cricket, rugby, sport | 3 Comments »
Saturday, March 19th, 2011 |
The Cobras seem to have caught the attention of Capetonians this season and it paid off for fans! A home final and a Pro20 series win.
For the first time in years I heard people getting excited about local cricket. I know of many people who went to the game Friday night. And all week the talk was Cobras cricket.
As a long time WP cricket fan I find it very exciting and refreshing.
Congratulations Cape Cobras! Hope the marketing people at WP cricket takes note for next season.
Then this morning the Proteas did the same by beating Bangladesh at Cricket World Cup 2011.
I don’t want to jinx them by writing too much
Well done to the Proteas cricket team for topping their group and reaching the CWC2011 quarter finals.
And for good measure – the Stormers took the Bulls apart in very measured, yet satisfying fashion.
Well done Stormers and welcome back Peter Grant! 23-13 win against the Bulls at Loftus is good going.
Hope the Stormers continue their brilliant defence overseas too.
In all an epic sporting weekend for supporters of Cape Town teams. Long may they continue.
Posted in cricket, rugby | 1 Comment »
Sunday, July 11th, 2010 |
Saturday’s Tri-Nations game was bad enough for the Boks against the All Blacks.
But Bakkies Botha once again lost the plot by head-butting an opponent and then later got sin-binned for another offense.
This morning on Capetalk/702′s Weekend Breakfast, Bakkies was called out by host John Maytham and some listeners for being a bad Christian.
Quite ridiculous if you ask me and I’m not religious at all.
Ill-disciplined, impetuous, perhaps angry. Yes.
But are religious people exempt from negative emotions?
Botha can profess to be a Christian and still be prone to human emotions.
Whether you are religious or not makes no difference to the way we function. Although some people would like to think it does.
When asked about her religious practice I heard someone say, “I’m a Christian, you know.”
To the same question I replied, “I don’t do religion.”
However, it makes neither of us any less immoral nor more likely to gossip, take personal calls for most of the working day, drive over the speed limit, get upset when someone stands in the quick checkout line with more than 10 items in their basket, shouts at his/her children, swear at the ref on tv?
Does that mean we non-religious people get to do as we please because we don’t have 10 Commandments to adhere to?
Can we head-butt people at will and be as impetuous as we choose?
In similar vain, I had a conversation last week where someone told me she knew how someone else felt because she sometimes feels judged for wearing a head scarf (she’s Muslim).
I cringed because there’s the misconception that
people are only judged for their religion.
That’s not true.
You can be just as easily judged for being unmarried, choosing not to have children, being non-conformist. Or for liking/disliking the vuvuzela!
I didn’t mention it, but I’ve felt judged by her!
Religion has much less relevance in the way we behave than our genes, upbringing, experiences and learned behaviours.
Whether you are religious or not certainly doesn’t make
you a better person than anyone else.
Bakkies Botha acted like an idiot based on his personality. Christian or not.
Posted in rugby, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
