We will stand beside the Boks, even if it’s in aqua
By Howard Feldman
It is more than a little ironic that grown South African rugby supporters were forced to spend Sunday evening arguing about the difference between turquoise and aqua: Men who until a few days ago likely had no idea that aqua was even a colour and that turquoise was not just an alternate name for a French pastry.
After all, the Rugby World Cup tournament is happening in Paris where they are known to eat croissants and walk around wearing French colours.
I can imagine the scene. With braai tongs in one hand, a bottle of Castle in the other, boerewors sizzling on the fire, Wessels and his nephew (or is that cousin) consider the merits of the team looking like Listerine. Both are desperate to support our boys no matter their fashion choices, both have lived for this moment where the Boks will finally begin their march to victory. They don’t want to criticize but “jislaaik” they aren’t making it easy.
Because it’s hard to take anyone in turquoise seriously.
Reasons for the Boks color choice have been given. Apparently, it is to help colour blind people differentiate the teams from each other. But as Adam, a listener to my morning show put it: “I don’t mean to sound glib, but how difficult can it be for a colour-blind person to differentiate between the teams? If a player is running in one direction, he’s on one team, and if he’s running in the other direction, he’s on the other team.” Finish en klaar.
It took no time at all for South Africans to get into this discussion. “Mentos XV” was one name for the Boks, while another said they look more Checkers 60/ 60. I preferred the Listerine branding comparison which would be great if their image was aligned to fresh and minty and not rough and rogue.
The All Blacks are known to start each game with the intimidating Haka. Besides for the historical reasons, it serves to focus the team and let their opponents know that they are not here for cucumber sandwiches. Thankfully, we were not playing New Zealand as it would have been terribly uncomfortable to meet the Haka dressed for in colours well suited to Mykonos in July. If you know what I mean.
Because it is really not easy to be intimidating in shades of the Aegean Sea.
Aside from the fact that there were even times that the team seemed to disappear into the field itself, the disconnect between supporters and players is what bothered me most. Where the whole of South Africa was dressed in dark green and gold (maybe with a hint of yellow) to show solidarity, the team itself wore, or bore, no resemblance to those who stood by them.
The sentimental amongst us felt saddened for the memory of Nelson Mandela who was famously fond of his number 6 green and gold. As shallow as we know it is, we felt let down by the loss of the iconic dark green. And the chauvinistic amongst us felt irritated that on this rugby subject our wives had more knowledge than we do. They might not be able to name the winning team of 1995, but when it came to the shades of this kit, they were (admittedly) way more qualified. And that hurt a little.
The truth is that it matters not a bit. The Boks went on to win. They did us proud and made us feel confident. What we realized, is that no matter what they wear, we will handle it. It’s the least we can do, and we will stand proudly beside them, even if it’s in aqua.
And most of us would even find it at least a little bit funny that for a country that has worked so hard to not see colour, since the start of the Rugby World Cup tournament, it’s all we seem to be speaking about.
