by James Collins
It’s amazing how a game as rough as rugby can unite a nation. Saturday night was the Rugby World Cup Final between England and South Africa and I had the lucky opportunity to be at the prime viewing spot for South African fans. It was an amazing experience to see such passion and enthusiasm for a sport I know so little about. People were going berserk, flags waved everywhere and the level of excitement was spectacular. Nelson Mandela even showed up to voice his support for the Springboks, the South African team. Everyone chanted his name in harmony.
When the Springboks won, the crowd went completely wild and festivities carried on for hours. Though rubgy has traditionally been a white sport in South Africa, support has been growing in other communities for years. I saw black people, white people (English and Afrikaans speaking), Indians and Asians celebrating, hugging and cheering for the victory of their country. At one point, I found myself arm-in-arm with a black guy who told me emphatically, “We are all one.”
I think there’s a lot of hope in this country. Sometimes it just needs to be picked up and dusted off. A common goal is a powerful thing, even if that goal is winning a game that includes “tackles”, “rucks” and “mauls”. If South Africans can find more and more things in common with each other, I’m sure the ills of this country will begin to fade.
Here’s a video of the crowd when the Springboks won:
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The views and information presented are the Fulbright grantee’s own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.
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