More than rugby – a beacon of hope for South Africa

Today, green and gold are the colours of hope. Most of us hope that Siya Kolisi’s Springboks grab the Webb Ellis Cup for a record fourth time.

We say most of us because there are still South Africans who feel alienated from that “rainbow nation” optimism which seems to burst forth every time we reach a Rugby World Cup final.

Life is anything but a rainbow for many of our people, as the gap between races and between rich and poor widens by the day and as we witness, all around us, the slow descent into failed state status.

Today’s epic contest is about way more than just rugby for this tortured land of ours. A victory would bring with it hope… hope that we can reverse the ills befalling our country.

Kolisi and the entire Springbok ecosystem have shown that South Africa is capable of going toe-to-toe with the best in the world – and coming out on top.

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And even if they lose today – and the All Blacks will be no pushover – this Springbok team will have injected a spirit of belief into our society.

We don’t have to accept that we are losers. We don’t have to accept that people of different colours cannot get along. We don’t have to accept that our leaders will continue to take more from us than they give.

More than anything, by their example – of equality, discipline and unity – the Boks have shown it is possible to be that cliched “stronger together.”

The challenge for the rest of us is to continue to use that Springbok fighting spirit to say “it doesn’t have to be this way”.

We hope, too, that our back-slapping and sound bite-grabbing politicians take note. And, of course, that one day, Kolisi goes into politics…

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