Cape Town – One of Cape Town’s most dedicated All Blacks supporters has lashed out at the Springboks and their fans for the controversy over Saturday’s clash against New Zealand in Auckland.
Maurice Heemro, 69, of Rondebosch East has written to the New Zealand Rugby Union to warn them to expect an “extremely hostile reception” when the All Blacks travel to Ellis Park on October 5.
“I am becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of the team,” he wrote, citing a caller to a talk show on SuperSport who suggested the All Blacks be flown to the ground by helicopter to avoid the fans at Ellis Park.
A social media storm erupted after the match in Auckland on Saturday. The Springboks lost and local fans blamed French referee Romain Poite for a number of dodgy calls.
These included a yellow card for hooker Bismarck du Plessis, a decision which the International Rugby Board conceded on Sunday had been incorrect. Du Plessis was booked again for fending off a tackler with his forearm, receiving an automatic red card.
SuperSport commentator and former Bok coach Nick Mallett described Poite’s performance as a disgrace. A Facebook petition, “Stop Romain Poite Ever Reffing A Rugby Game Again”, has about 63 000 “likes”.
Yet because the Springboks were an exclusively white team under apartheid, South Africa – Cape Town in particular – has a strong, historical support base for the All Blacks. Today many of these fans cite the All Blacks’ style of rugby as the main reason for their ongoing support, while accusing the Springboks of dirty tactics and being sore losers.
Heemro played for the first team of one of the racially defined rugby unions during the 1960s and received honorary Springbok colours in 2001. He has supported the All Blacks since the team toured South Africa in 1949.
He said: “Bismarck is a bully and, regardless of whether he used his arms or not, he went into that tackle on Carter from an offside position, with the express intention of injuring him. It speaks of a cynical and dirty style of play that the Springboks have espoused for a long time.”
Maghedien Kafaar, another long-time Cape Town-based All Blacks supporter, agreed. He said Springboks supporters were sore losers, and were unable to see the true reasons for the team going down to the All Blacks.
“Fans always point fingers at the ref. The Springboks have all the talent in the world, and yet there is a tradition of niggly, dirty rugby in the team. If they focused more on playing the game and less on off-the-ball stuff, they would have a better chance.”
Cape Argus