REVIEW
      AMABOKOBOKO STAAN STYF, HOE VEEL
            (Australiese) DOLLARS IN JUL SAFE?
Review of: Albert Grundlingh, Andre Odendaal and Burridge Spies (1995) -
Beyond the Tryline: rugby and South African society (Johannesburg: Ravan).
                                                                   Gerhard Mart
The colour of the cover of the previous issue of Transformation was green and
gold, with definite reference to the Rugby World Cup (RWC) final that was
imminent at the time of publication. I was astonished to find not only that specific
choice of symbolism, but that a majority of those around me seemed to support
the Springboks, if not as rugby players then as 'nation-builders'. Unconvinced
that the arrogance that marked white and recent (as Grundlingh et al remind us)
Afrikaner domination of the rugby scene nationally had really departed, for all
those so racialised in this racist society, I did not take pleasure in the dour victory
in June. As with various kinds of racism and crude sexism that permeate this
country amongst white and black, such a sea change in attitude was, to my mind,
not possible.
  I love the game, let it be said. I do not like it that South Africa won the final,
playing better English rugby than the English did. That insensitivity was shown
immediately after the victory when the 'Christians all', until Pienaar remembered
the scorer of all the points, went down on their knees and prayed; it was shown
much more crudely by that peak of arrogance, Louis Luyt, when he said that
New Zealand and Australia won the previous Cups because the South Africans
were not there. Grundlingh refers to the characterisation of Luyt as 'a man with
"less sensitivity and fewer principles than a rugby ball1" (1995:14).
  At the same time, I would not wish to detract from the 'nation-building' effect
that the victory did have, no matter how briefly. Many South Africans, and
several Springboks, may have returned to their comfortable ways, but many of
those may respond differently when new choices come to face them. There is
not reason to doubt the sincerity of captain Francois Pienaar. Bafana Khumalo,
writing in the Mail and Guardian did have a personal point in lifting the
multi-hued cover on the symbols that have now come to signify unity, but he is
wrong in claiming that symbols cannot alter, cannot serve new social purposes.
On that score he is clearly wrong, even though he may not like such change. The
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new South African flag is now waved proudly, far removed from the defiance of
the singing of 'Die Stem' and the waving of the 'oranje, blanje, blou' as recently
as three years ago (Grundlingh et al, 1995:10). Late in the nineteenth century
rugby, organised on a cultural basis, served to 'keep the Muslims of the Cape
together and also to bring unity amongst them' (1995:28). There is at present
general acceptance that the unity has to spread beyond the various 'groups' to
'the nation', even though it may not be embraced with equal vigour, nor signify
the same for all.
   Grundlingh, Odendaal and Spies' collection of essays is a valuable corrective
to the over-the-top ahistorical media mythologising that marked the months
leading up to and during the RWC 1995. They examine some of the facts behind
the playing of rugby in this country, a history that is necessary for 'truth and
reconciliation' within sport in this country. For example, it serves to remind that
there is a parallel history of, unfortunately often also 'racially' divided, African
and coloured rugby that stretches as far back as the hegemonic strand of white
rugby (see Odendaal's essay); that the spread of rugby cannot be divorced from
British imperialism (which meant that it was not always Afrikaner-dominated,
and that the process of and reasons for Afrikaner infiltration needs to be
examined, including the role of the Broederbond) (the essay by Spies); rugby
and world sporting isolation under apartheid, and reconciliation and integration
(chapters one and four by Grundlingh); and a more sociological approach in
examining rugby, nationalism and masculinity (by Grundlingh).
   The five essays, three of them by UNIS A professor Albeit Grundlingh, and one
each by fellow historians Andrg Odendaal and Burridge Spies, unfortunately
remain as separate contributions with little editorial intervention visible to make
the collection more coherent. The effect is that wide cracks remain and a fuller
picture remains to be painted. Therelationshipbetween sport and politics and
ideology beyond the descriptive approach largely followed by these historians,
and the value of drawing on comparative material, falls within the scope of the
task they set themselves butremainsunexplored. Thisreaderwould have liked
to see a more extensive exploration of the early and continuing divisions within
black rugby that long pre-dates apartheid, despite noteworthy attempts to create
 'non-racial' clubs and unions (eg 1995:37). It seems that 'non-racialism' remains
and has always been poorly conceptualised, and has never withstood the test of
 the 'myriad influences shaping 20th century South African society' (1995:50).
    Spies' 'somewhat impressionistic survey' (his own words, 1995:85) is a
 fragmented contribution. What Spies does not explain satisfactorily is why the
English imperial history of rugby should have landed up in the hands of the
Afrikaner nationalists (Grundlingh, in the last essay, takes this question further).
Guttman 's (1994) book, with a section on sport and resistance, may offer another
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insight on this 'capture' of rugby by Afrikaners. The strongest essay (because
more sociological?) is that by Grundlingh, examining the complex links between
 sport (rugby), nation (the Afrikaners), and masculinity. Stellenbosch University,
as cradle of both Afrikaner nationalist politicians, predikante, teachers and other
purveyors of ethnic ideas, as well as of rugby players, provided socialisation into
both areas. Grundlingh refers to the interplay between class, culture, 'race' and
sport, and these ideas could provide useful ideas for further research; as do those
on rugby and masculinity, where the supportive role of women was highlighted
in interviews with wives and girlfriends during and after the World Cup. The
model for a more complex examination of the relationship between sport, class
and nation remains Eric Hobsbawm's article on 'mass-producing traditions'
(1983).
   The collection forms a useful starting point for further such research and
writing. In the meantime, player bank balances are probably being built with
more success than the nation, introducing another major development in the
history of sport and nationalism in South Africa.
REFERENCES
Guttman, Alen (1994) Games and Empires: modern sports and cultural imperialism. New York:
         Columbia University Press.
Hobsbawm, Eric (1983) 'Mass-producing traditions: Europe, 1870-1914', in Eric Hobsbawm and
         Terence Ranger (eds) the Invention of Tradition, Cambridge: Cambridge University
         Press.
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