Sporting apathy aside, I have to admit that I am proud-by-proxy that South Africa has taken home the 2007 Rugby World Cup. I watched my first rugby match (Springboks v. the All Blacks) at the Larkfield, Kent, England, UK home of my brother- and sister-in-law this past spring, and even though I had no clue what was happening I had a great time sipping my first shandy and listening to the commentary flying around the room. (My 7-year-old nephew, for instance, shouted at the TV in disgust at one point, “It’s rugby! It’s not a kicking competition!” I guess there was too much kicking in evidence, and not enough running, throwing, shoving, and/or beating the crap out of each other. How does rugby work, again?)

Anyway, go Boks!

Flag of the Republic of South Africa

Other perspectives:

• The question of race in South African rugby
• Joyful South Africans celebrate Boks win