James vd.Westhuizen🇲🇺🇿🇦

I'm in a fighting mood, with Tom Curry and the Brits coming at us over #BongiMbongambi and SA over, wait for it, alleged racism. An issue we're possibly world experts in. So, some facts. 1. Bongi, a black player from a developing black country, grew up in a poor township in Bethlehem, Free State. He and his friends made rugby balls from orange nets stuffed with newspapers because they couldn't afford the real thing. Coaches told him he'd never make it. 2. Tom Curry, a white player, grew up in a family of professional rugby players in a developed country, primed for success. He was one of the youngest players to appear at the tournament he first played at. 3. South Africa is synonymous with averting racial civil war and overcoming apartheid. Our racial relations aren't perfect but the word 'miracle' is applied to our democratic transition with good reason. We take racism very seriously. 4. The UK was an imperial behemoth that subjugated a quarter of the world at one point who has refused to apologise for their past and where Brits of colour still routinely experience discrimination and silencing. 5. The Boks are a picture of us when we're at our best. Those from privileged and underprivileged background, black and white, deeply bonded yet compassionate of differences and fighting for a lofty goal together. 5. The English rugby team rolled out one of it black players to praise the 'courage' of a white player, who has mobilised the might of toxic British tabloid against Bongi, the Boks and SA on the eve of a historical possible fourth world cup win. Around an easily explained language issue that they refuse to try to understand - a refusal that has its own racial undertones. Some removed their silver medals when they lost to us in 2019, so poor is their sportsmanship. Against this background, a player like Tom Curry with so many multiple layers of privilege behind him, accusing Bongi of racism and trying to destabilise SA before a historical game with literally no evidence isn't just laughable, it's unjust. And it's an insult to a country like South Africa who has overcome so much, and has so many more challenges ahead of us. We deserve the world's respect for getting this far, and should be championed on for this much-needed win that means so much to a country that is, in many ways, in crisis. Instead we are unjustly maligned. Shame on them. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk. 😅 #Springboks #ENGvRSA #RSAvsNZL #RWCFinal #RWC2023 #RWC23Final