[imagesource: Twitter / @Leighton_K]

Well, that was quick.

I guess all it takes is a series home loss against Ireland, and five losses in their last six tests, for some Cape Crusaders to turn their backs on the All Blacks.

The Springboks’ 26-10 win at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday is our biggest over New Zealand since 1928 (17-0). It’s also the All Blacks’ fifth-heaviest defeat ever, from 616 test matches.

Emotions often run high after shock results and for one disappointed Cape Crusader All Blacks fan, reports SA Rugby Mag, it was his New Zealand 2011 Rugby World Cup jersey that bore the brunt of those frustrations:

That was quick video: Collin Hopley on Facebook pic.twitter.com/FCoP2mBYt6

— Leighton Koopman (@Leighton_K) August 6, 2022

The message above the braai reads, ‘whisky is koning, my boep is sy woning‘. I doff my cap.

Notorious Springbok baiter and rugby journalist Ben Smith was more measured in his response. No mention of the opposition – I guess the All Blacks defeated themselves?

players would have been moved on by selectors in years gone by, but Foster is loyal to a fault. The NZ public will tolerate losses if they play well, but losing and playing progressively worse cannot be stomached. Winning is one thing, but poor rugby is another altogether. (2/2)

— Ben Smith (@bensmithrugby) August 6, 2022

Meanwhile, the sheer joy of a resounding Springbok win was perfectly encapsulated by Willie le Roux’s celebration of leaping into the crowd.

See from the 55-second mark below:

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Willie le Roux seals it for the Springboks as they run out 26-10 victors over New Zealand pic.twitter.com/GMKHVEKZ7T

— SuperSport (@SuperSportTV) August 6, 2022

More of the same this weekend, please, when the action moves to Ellis Park.

By the way, the question of the Cape Crusaders’ support for the Crusaders team from Canterbury and the All Blacks has been covered at length before.

This 2017 article on The Conversation is a great starting point:

This policy of apartheid manifested in a number of other hurtful, discriminatory ways. At Newlands for example, coloured people were not allowed to sit with whites. They were allocated their own stand behind the poles; the worst seats at the field.

Some started to support the opposition of the white and mostly Afrikaans-speaking Springboks, who represented and resembled their oppressors. This started with tours by the British and Irish Lions in the 1960s and 1970s. But ultimately the main team to support were the All Blacks, who came to be the Springboks’ big foes in the latter half of the twentieth century…

The Cape Crusaders’ choice is therefore usually rooted in two reasons: Firstly, because their father or grandfather supports them. The support of a national team is about patriotism for many; but for others, loyalty to your father is more important. This is a motivation for support of sport teams in general. The fatherland begins at home.

You’re welcome to dig deeper here if you want.

As a very chuffed Bok supporter, I’ll expend my energy thanking the rugby gods for blessing us with the world’s best hooker, who played out of his boots in his 50th test match, and the world’s best outside centre player.

Lukhanyo Am – what can’t he do?

[sources:sarugbymag&conversation]