Amid load-shedding, soaring costs and ubiquitous corruption, South Africans are craving a real victory
It is the first time South Africa have won their first match at a World Cup since they edged out Wales 17-16 in 2011
With South Africa’s first Rugby World Cup match on Sunday, the coming weeks will be a time of frantic activity for the Springboks. Luke Alfred tries to unravel the tangle of cultural, national and emotional factors that imbue the Boks with meaning for South Africans
The history of our rugby team often runs parallel to that of our conflicted, divided society
Rassie, along with his captain, Siya Kolisi’s generation of players, have deepened our bonds with rugby in a manner that I thought inevitable as a young boy. Win or lose, they are us
The 31-year-old Lock’s father died on Tuesday
Sports media rights are where the money is, and investors want a return on their cash, so the Springboks need to up their game when it comes to charisma
Richard Calland talks to the New Zealand high commissioner to South Africa about the beauty of the All Blacks-Springboks rivalry
From an old acquaintance* with benefits
Once more we have the opportunity to take our marking pen to their performance
This content is restricted to subscribers only.
Join the M&G Community
Our commitment at the Mail & Guardian is to ensure every reader enjoys the finest experience. Join the M&G community and support us in delivering in-depth news to you consistently.
Subscribe
Subscription enables:
- – M&G community membership
- – independent journalism
- – access to all premium articles & features
- – a digital version of the weekly newspaper
- – invites to subscriber-only events
- – the opportunity to test new online features first
Already a subscriber?
Login here.
The world champions must win with a bonus point in Townsville on Saturday to keep their slender Rugby Championship hopes alive
How does South Africa return to a pre-pandemic world, or at least one closely resembling it? That’s the question for policymakers as our country’s recovery lags its peers
Dugald Macdonald made his Springbok debut against the British Lions in 1974, a disastrous experience difficult to forget
Cape Town’s oldest Black rugby club personifies the problems Black rugby faces, including attempts to have its history erased, being affected by apartheid and struggling financially for good resources
Former Springbok and current school water polo coach Pierre le Roux has a litany of complaints against him, from body shaming and bullying to being racist to learners
The World Cup-winning coach has an impeccable CV, with an illustrious coaching career that has taken him all over the globe. But he has a reputation problem
There is no deep comradeship, common ancestry or monopoly on the legitimate use of force
The highlight of South Africa’s year was the Springboks Rugby World Cup victory
Faf de Klerk captained the challenge to team mates and other men to get themselves screened
We need to work together to build a new and equitable pool of services for all South Africans
The national side continues to celebrate their World Cup victory, but how can they stay at the pinnacle of the sporting battleground?
Sport cannot solve a country’s problems, but it does have the power to make us believe we can
Of course a game of rugby has not changed the country. But it is also just a game, a game that has given us something to cheer about.
​Can this crop earn the right to join a group that includes John Smit and Nelson Mandela?
Hard work alone doesn’t guarantee people will beat the odds of a deprived upbringing
South Africa has come a long way since the unhappy days of three years ago and the coach was keen to praise his players for the effort
The Boks have been unstoppable since their opening game but question marks persist
Lawsuit comes after rights’ commission takes up case of people allegedly assaulted by Eben Etzebeth
After failing to achieve Plan A by beating New Zealand, Rassie Erasmus made no mistake in carrying out Plan B: build momentum with a few thumpings
Alleged assault divides the country on whether Springboks have the ability to build a nation
South Africa needs a new progressive sports movement that works for equality and peace based on mass participation and social justice
Etzebeth, 27, allegedly insulted, assaulted and pointed a gun at a 42-year-old homeless man in Langebaan in August