Sunday the 9th of October comes around, and thousands of South Africans wake up early to watch the 7am game between SA and Australia, their hearts full of hope for a victory.
Sadly that victory doesn't come. We play a good game of rugby, we hold 76% of the territory and we hardly allow Australia to even play. But unfortunately for us, the ref wears an Australian jersey. So that's it then, the team has to return home with sad hearts, knowing that they could have claimed that World Cup for the third time.
However, when they arrive at O.R Tambo International airport on Monday the 10th of October, they are greeted by over 300 ecstatic fans who are waving flags, wearing Springbok shirts and cheering them on as if they had come home with the gold.
That's the thing about this country, we don't need a title or a trophy to define who we are. We know we are winners, we know that we have battled through the toughest of obstacles, we have pursued our dreams, we have overcome our fears and we have emerged a nation that is full of culture, spirit, heart and colour. Our reaction to our loss of this years World Cup just proves that we care more about our country than any trophy. Sure, it would have been nice to win, I know that I for one was screaming and shouting at the screen all through that final match. Yet, I couldn't be prouder of our boys, because they played with all their hearts. They played like true South Africans.
I am just so in love with this country - for everything it has accomplished and for all the potential it still has. We may not have won the RWC 2011, but we have emerged victorious with our hands firmly placed over our hearts.
No comments:
Post a Comment