Opinion: 1News sports presenter Andrew Saville is in South Africa as the All Blacks and Springboks do battle. Here's the latest after South Africa went 2-1 up in the series yesterday.
Soweto Sweetness
While not the result the All Blacks and fans were looking for, the atmosphere and intensity of FNB Stadium, in an area known as Soccer City, was something to behold. It was up there, if not better than that spine tingling night in Paris when the All Blacks beat France in the World Cup quarter finals.
Only this time the All Blacks didn’t win. Either way, both sets of fans were brilliant. The wall of noise didn’t stop the whole game and lifted when either team made a break, a big tackle, or made a mistake, let alone scored a try.
The three Tests have been played with an intensity that only two teams in the world can display or keep up with - NZ and South Africa.
FNB Fail
The massive Stadium is about 45 minutes south-southwest of the main city area of Johannesburg near Soweto. Plonked in the middle of nowhere near old mines. The positive is, it’s beside a motorway exit and is surrounded by car parking and empty fields.
The negative, the only empty seats were those in flash corporate boxes. I’d estimate a quarter of boxes were empty! Clearly the organisers had priced even the corporates out of the market.
Why not realise these seats weren’t going to sell and offer them at a reduced rate. Or even give them to nearby school kids and families, who have no hope of being able to afford Test tickets.
The ticket prices for midweek/tour games were also exorbitant, hence empty stadiums.
RGR 2030
On that note, a plea to organisers for the next tour, to NZ in 2030. Play the lead-in tour games in smaller towns and against NPC sides that will, at this point in time anyway be preparing for their seasons or even have started their campaigns.
There’s no use playing against disbanded Super squads in August/September!! AND don’t charge massive money for the midweek game tickets!!!! Take the games to the people!!
AND come up with a decent and colourful and modern range of series merchandise!
Don’t Panic!!!
Yes, the All Blacks have lost the “real” series, in South Africa 2-1, but let’s consider a few factors.
Dave Rennie and his assistants have had their hands on the tools and on this team for less than three months. Rassie Erasmus has been in control, or at least over-seeing, the Springboks for nearly a decade.
Despite the first test scoreline and despite both teams dominating periods of each game, the series has been on a knife edge, decided on several key moments, calls, errors, superstar plays. This is what a series between world number one and number two should be.
So, for the All Blacks, with some new playing personnel, new coaches and new game plans to be in the fight and have a chance to win all three Tests is extremely encouraging for the rest of the year and at next year’s World Cup.
Yes, they’ve should’ve nailed more opportunities; yes, they need improvement in areas that haven’t been tidied up as the series has gone on. BUT this South Africa squad is one of the best in the game’s history and with Rennie and Co. in charge of the All Blacks, you get the sense all is well and this team is now back on the proper - as NZR officials would say - trajectory!!!!
Fitzy Fun
It’s been fantastic to see Sean Fitzpatrick in and around the All Blacks, in Joburg and Cape Town and at the matches the past few weeks. He’s been paraded and feted everywhere and rightly so.
Those images of Ardie Savea pulling Fitzy in towards the team before the anthems in the first test will go down as one of the most memorable moments of the series. In between appearances Fitzy is always up for a chat and a reminisce, with funny, riveting stories about games, teammates, and coaches. A mine of anecdotes, it’s been a privilege to be around the test great.
Final Fling
I’ve discovered hot chips at the Steers fast food chain. if you know , you know!!!!
Service with a smile. It’s infectious here in South Africa.
The fans, the fans, the fans... they’ve made this series. Locals, Kiwis, impartial visitors (and I’ve met a ton from all around the world) - all engaging in great banter, with respect and a ton of fun.
AND, I stated this in my first column, but I’ll repeat myself: Having been away overseas and especially in a city like Joburg, remember, we have NOTHING to complain about at home.
SHARE ME