Tag: Rugby
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How the Boks cope with the nerve-wracking weirdness of final week
As the seconds tick by to the kick-off of the big game in rugby’s ultimate contest, with the trophy tantalisingly within grasp, being a Bok means training, planning, and a quiet quest for distraction
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Aimee Barrett-Theron, the shy little girl who grew up to be an Olympic rugby ref
Aimee Barrett-Theron was 12 years old, watching the Sydney Olympics on TV, when she turned to her mom and said: “One day, I’m going to be there.” Never underestimate the power of a childhood dream, especially when it’s expressed as a goal.
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Why the best rugby is played in the eye of a storm
With the Rugby World Cup taking a breather as a typhoon swept in, the time was right for a reflection on the way the game thrives when the winds of change are raging all around it
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Jonathan Kaplan, SA’s best-loved whistle-blower, on the agonies and joys of life after the game
It’s the loneliest position on a rugby field. In the heat of the battle, surrounded by opposing forces whose mission is to storm and conquer, the referee must maintain law and order with sharp eyes, deep knowledge, swift reflexes, intense fitness, and a skin thick enough to withstand a barrage of catcalls from the crowd. …
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The veteran Bok who could hold the key to victory in Yokohama
When the Boks go into battle against the All Blacks in their opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, all eyes will be on a rugged warrior who runs fast and plays hard in the early autumn of his career
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I still love you, rugby, even if I don’t know who’s playing who this weekend
It’s not you, rugby, it’s me. What will it take to put that old spark back in our relationship, now that the dazzling days of the World Cup are just a distant memory?
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I dreamed of captaining the 1st team, but playing for the seconds was the gift that changed my life
When a schoolboy’s golden ambition turns to crushing disappointment, it can take a while to get your motivation back on track. But sometimes, looking back, you can see how a change of plan can change you for the better
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What rugby is teaching me about starting my life all over again
The difference between being a victim of circumstance, and a tiger who roars into battle, lies in the way you recalibrate your thinking on and off the field of play
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How I solved the mystery of the disappearing rugby girlfriend
The girlfriend who loves rugby as much as she loves her boyfriend, turns into the wife who forgets all about the game while her husband carries on cheering.
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Why it’s so important to play the long money-game in rugby
In the world of professional rugby, players need to look beyond the goalposts, to make sure they have a viable career mapped out when their playing days are over.