2007 Rugby World Cup Final: South Africa 15 England 6
Yes, we won. What a wonderful night for all South Africans! I sat on the edge of my bed, draped in a white sheet, and watched every single minute on TV. It wasn't a beautiful game, and the last three minutes were the best. As the clock ticked down, I could finally heave a sigh of relief and celebrate by myself in my apartment. At 4am, mind you. I will admit that tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched the team lift the trophy. I had my SA flag flying from my balcony. I'm sure very few Thais thought anything of it - but I am sure it irritated my English neighbour!
I found watching the whole spectacle from a distance fascinating. The SA story is certainly an uplifting one - seeing Thabo Mbeki hugging the players, seeing the easy cameraderie between the players of different races, watching Nelson Mandela making his appearance at Montecasino, the excellent TV adverts... For once, it seemed the nation was finally united and one had a glimpse of what SA could be. It was a wonderful sight.
I couldn't wait for the Sunday Times to publish their front page on the web. As you can see on the right, they did a pretty good job. It captures the mood perfectly. I was also impressed by the Sasol adverts on TV, especially the World Champ ad that run shortly after the game (great faith, guys!) I thought the oversized Absa branding on the balcony that Madiba appeared on at Montecasino was less tasteful (and I was glad to see that footage used on the BBC and other channels made sure it was not visible).
But let's not gripe about anything. This is our day. Let's enjoy the victory and thank the boys in green and gold for making us all very, very proud to come from the tip of Africa.
Yes, we won. What a wonderful night for all South Africans! I sat on the edge of my bed, draped in a white sheet, and watched every single minute on TV. It wasn't a beautiful game, and the last three minutes were the best. As the clock ticked down, I could finally heave a sigh of relief and celebrate by myself in my apartment. At 4am, mind you. I will admit that tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched the team lift the trophy. I had my SA flag flying from my balcony. I'm sure very few Thais thought anything of it - but I am sure it irritated my English neighbour!
I found watching the whole spectacle from a distance fascinating. The SA story is certainly an uplifting one - seeing Thabo Mbeki hugging the players, seeing the easy cameraderie between the players of different races, watching Nelson Mandela making his appearance at Montecasino, the excellent TV adverts... For once, it seemed the nation was finally united and one had a glimpse of what SA could be. It was a wonderful sight.
I couldn't wait for the Sunday Times to publish their front page on the web. As you can see on the right, they did a pretty good job. It captures the mood perfectly. I was also impressed by the Sasol adverts on TV, especially the World Champ ad that run shortly after the game (great faith, guys!) I thought the oversized Absa branding on the balcony that Madiba appeared on at Montecasino was less tasteful (and I was glad to see that footage used on the BBC and other channels made sure it was not visible).
But let's not gripe about anything. This is our day. Let's enjoy the victory and thank the boys in green and gold for making us all very, very proud to come from the tip of Africa.
