| This is the story of a brand which has matured over | | | | he had been unable to pick some white players for his |
| the past 100 years into a global superbrand and an | | | | squad "because of transformation" - a reference to |
| example of the power of branding regardless of time, | | | | the ANC government's policies of attempting to |
| politics, race or culture. It helped heal the wounds after | | | | redress the racial imbalances in national sport. |
| a bitter war over a century ago and caused national | | | | The Springboks won the World Cup for a second time |
| sportsmen to rebel against their own governments and | | | | in 2007 and joined Australia as the only other national |
| later united a nation after apartheid was dismantled | | | | team to have won the trophy twice. This also proved |
| and, as a result, yielded what is widely viewed as one | | | | the southern hemisphere's dominance, with five out of |
| of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments in history. | | | | six titles to date. |
| Today, after repeated onslaughts by politicians with | | | | South Africa's World Cup-winning side of 1995 fielded |
| racial quota systems and unsuccessful threats to | | | | only one non-white player. This trend continued in the |
| change its name, the brand has emerged stronger | | | | team's biggest matches of the 1999 and 2003 World |
| than ever, and stands proudly for winners and the | | | | Cups and, in the 2007 World Cup final, the team fielded |
| ultimate respect a sporting side could earn: world | | | | only two non-white players. Despite a quota system |
| champions. | | | | intended to encourage provincial teams to field |
| The origins of the Springbok name and brandmark | | | | non-white players, and the fact that there are more |
| The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly | | | | non-white than white rugby players in South Africa, |
| referred to as the Springboks or Boks for short in | | | | many politicians believed that the pace of |
| English, Springbokke or Bokke for short in Afrikaans | | | | transformation was too slow. South African Rugby |
| and Amabokoboko in Zulu, has won the Rugby World | | | | Union president Oregan Hoskins thought there were |
| Cup twice (1995 and 2007) and is currently ranked | | | | too few non-white players in the 2007 World Cup |
| number one in the International Rugby Board (IRB) | | | | squad and, in 2008, the first non-white coach was |
| World Rankings. | | | | appointed. The political pressure on rugby coaches and |
| The Springboks play in green and gold jerseys, and | | | | administrators to select non-white players has been |
| officially their emblems are the Springbok, a South | | | | strong and, as a result, 16 of the 35 new Springboks |
| African antelope which is also South Africa's national | | | | appointed by former coach Jake White were |
| animal, and the king protea, South Africa's national | | | | non-white. |
| flower. The Springbok (Afrikaans and Dutch: spring = | | | | Politicians will always loose the battle with the brand |
| jump; bok = antelope or goat) is a medium-sized | | | | In late 2008, the Springbok brand again came under |
| brown and white gazelle standing about 75 cm high. | | | | fire from politicians. The parliamentary sports |
| They can reach running speeds of up to 80 kilometres | | | | committee of the ruling African National Congress |
| per hour. The Latin name marsupialis derives from a | | | | (ANC) made some radical comments and demanded |
| pocket-like skin flap extending along the middle of the | | | | that the Springbok emblem and name be dropped in |
| back from the tail onwards. | | | | favour of the king protea. This sparked an outcry from |
| When the male springbok shows off his strength and | | | | supporters of the national rugby team, which is a |
| fitness to attract a mate, or to ward off predators, he | | | | source of deep pride, especially to Afrikaners. Some |
| starts off in a stiff-legged trot, leaping with an arched | | | | people argue that racial barriers were broken in 1995 |
| back into the air (up to nearly three metres) every few | | | | after South Africa's victory, when former president |
| paces, and lifting the flap along his back. That makes | | | | Nelson Mandela lifted the World Cup trophy while |
| the long white hairs under the tail stand up in a | | | | wearing a Springbok jersey, but the committee |
| conspicuous fan shape. This ritual is known as pronking | | | | remarked that Mandela's action was a matter of |
| in Afrikaans or "strutting", meaning to boast or show | | | | convenience rather than conviction. |
| off. | | | | No doubt, this latest debate has had a lot to do with |
| Springbok inhabit the dry inland areas of south and | | | | the recent ANC split and with the resultant newly |
| south-western Africa. They used to be very common, | | | | formed Congress of the People (COPE) party |
| forming some of the largest herds of mammals ever | | | | emerging as the latest opposition in the elections held in |
| witnessed, when millions of migrating Springbok formed | | | | South Africa in April 2009. COPE was founded by |
| herds hundreds of kilometres long. Extensive hunting | | | | former ANC members after the ANC's national |
| and farm fences, which blocked their migratory routes | | | | conference in 2007 resulted in the election of Jacob |
| have significantly diminished their numbers. Springbok | | | | Zuma over Thabo Mbeki, the then South African |
| get their water needs from the food they eat, and can | | | | President, as the ANC president. |
| survive without drinking water through dry seasons or | | | | The split also revealed underlying ethnic tensions |
| even dry years. | | | | between Zulu and Xhosa speakers, represented by |
| The springbok was a national symbol of South Africa | | | | Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki, respectively, and their |
| under white minority rule (including the period prior to | | | | different philosophies. Mbeki pursued neoliberal |
| the establishment of apartheid) and appeared on the | | | | economic policies and Zuma, who would become the |
| emblem of the South African Air Force, the brandmark | | | | future President of South Africa, was more left-wing |
| of South African Airways (for which it remains their | | | | and populist and has a closer relationship with the |
| radio call sign) and the coat of arms of South Africa. | | | | popular Congress of South African Trade Unions and |
| These have since been replaced by new designs. | | | | the South African Communist Party. |
| Historically, the term Springbok was given to any team | | | | While we are on the subject of politics and name |
| or individual representing South Africa in any | | | | changes, why was South Africa not renamed Azania |
| international sporting competitions. The Springbok | | | | after the 1994 elections? Azania was at the time the |
| emblem was dropped in favour of the king protea | | | | name of choice among revolutionary black African |
| when South Africa's first democratic government | | | | nationalists, and it appeared in the names of |
| came into power in 1994. However, the rugby union | | | | revolutionary groups such as the Azanian People's |
| team kept the name and brandmark of the Springbok | | | | Organisation (AZAPO), the Pan Africanist Congress of |
| after the intervention of the then President, Nelson | | | | Azania and the Socialist Party of Azania. The truth is |
| Mandela, who did so as a gesture of goodwill to the | | | | that the ANC had always been opposed to this name |
| mainly white and largely Afrikaner rugby supporters. | | | | because of its association with the Pan Africanist |
| The South African cricket side is now commonly | | | | Congress of Azania, which had split from the ANC. |
| referred to as the Proteas. | | | | And why was the poorly performing Bafana Bafana |
| The Springboks have played international rugby since | | | | (the Boys), South Africa's official national soccer team, |
| 1891 when a British Isles side toured South Africa. At | | | | not renamed the Proteas? It was rumoured that |
| that time, the South African rugby team had worn | | | | England coach Sven-Göran Eriksson had been |
| myrtle green shirts, which the then captain borrowed | | | | offered US$3-million (ZAR30-million) to coach Bafana |
| from his Old Diocesan club. Rugby was so popular that | | | | Bafana for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. |
| in 1902 there was a temporary ceasefire in the | | | | Instead, the former Brazil coach, Carlos Alberto |
| Anglo-Boer War so that a game could be played | | | | Parreira, landed the contract for US$10-million |
| between the British and Boer forces. The Anglo-Boer | | | | (ZAR100-million) but resigned in April 2008 for "family |
| War was waged from 1899 until 1902 between the | | | | reasons". |
| British Empire and the two independent Boer republics | | | | The latest Springbok debacle is a case of some |
| of the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and | | | | ignorant and very confused politicians trying to score |
| the Orange Free State. The game had spread among | | | | brownie points at the expense of South Africa and a |
| the Afrikaner population through prisoner-of-war | | | | global brand born more than a century ago. Apartheid |
| games during the Anglo-Boer War. | | | | officially died in 1994 and if the Springbok brand was |
| The Springbok name and brandmark also date from | | | | seen as part of that era, it would have been scrapped |
| the 1906-1907 tour of Britain, a trip which helped heal | | | | then. How can it still be offensive 15 years later? Proof |
| wounds after the Anglo-Boer War and instilled a | | | | of the brand's popularity among black South Africans |
| sense of national pride among South Africans. To | | | | is that more Springbok apparel and memorabilia are |
| prevent the British press from inventing their own | | | | sold in Soweto, South Africa's biggest black township, |
| name for the South African rugby side, the team | | | | than in the predominantly white suburbs of |
| captain chose the Springbok to represent his side. | | | | Johannesburg. |
| After this, the emblem was worn on the left breast | | | | Silas Nkanunu, former SARU president and one of the |
| pocket of team blazers. | | | | first blacks to be appointed to this position, stated in an |
| The 1976 Soweto riots and rebel tours | | | | interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) in |
| By the Second World War, New Zealand and South | | | | December 2008 that he believed changing the |
| Africa had established themselves as rugby's two | | | | Springbok brand would not address the real issues |
| greatest teams. In 1976, the All Blacks tour - shortly | | | | affecting the sport's development and its promotion |
| after the Soweto riots - attracted international | | | | among blacks. "The move smacks of political power |
| condemnation and 28 countries boycotted the 1976 | | | | play. Black clubs are in dire need of financial |
| Summer Olympics in protest. The next year, the | | | | assistance, which is slowing the development of talent," |
| Commonwealth of Nations signed the Gleneagles | | | | said Nkanunu. |
| Agreement that discouraged any sporting contact with | | | | The truth is that the Springbok brand has become a |
| South Africa. Due to growing international pressure, the | | | | superbrand in the global sport world, is untouchable and |
| segregated South African rugby unions merged in | | | | has transcended politics and the politicians. It earns |
| 1977. | | | | millions of dollars in sponsorship deals and, fortunately, it |
| In 1986, a rebel tour took place, in response to the | | | | does not legally belong to the South African |
| scrapping of the planned All Black tour of South Africa | | | | government but to the SA Rugby Union (SARU), |
| after an interdict by the New Zealand High Court in | | | | previously known as the SA Rugby Football Union |
| 1985. The team was called the Cavaliers (but | | | | (SARFU), which registered the trademark in 1996. The |
| advertised in South Africa as the All Blacks) was not | | | | global audience does not view the Springbok brand as |
| sanctioned by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, | | | | a political symbol but as a great sport icon, one that |
| but consisted of all but two of the original squad | | | | epitomises world champions and an undeniable national |
| selected. | | | | passion for rugby. |
| In 1989, a World XV sanctioned by the International | | | | Moreover, the rough and tumble game of rugby is |
| Rugby Board went on a mini-tour of South Africa. All | | | | difficult to associate with a feminine floral symbol such |
| the traditional rugby nations, bar New Zealand, supplied | | | | as the protea, and the symbol of a flower would be |
| players to the team, which consisted of 10 Welshmen, | | | | incongruent with the brand. Next, the politicians may |
| eight Frenchmen, six Australians, four Englishmen, one | | | | want to change the jerseys to a powder pink to |
| Scot and one Irishman. | | | | match the colour of the king protea. Wait, I am wrong! |
| Although South Africa was instrumental in creating the | | | | The current colours for the Springboks, Bafana Bafana |
| Rugby World Cup competition, the Springboks did not | | | | and the Proteas are green and golden yellow, which, it |
| compete in the first two World Cups in 1987 and 1991 | | | | just so happens, are the colours of the ruling ANC |
| because of the anti-apartheid sporting boycotts of | | | | party. |
| South Africa. From 1990 to 1991, the legal apparatus of | | | | Politicians who have racial hang-ups should rather stay |
| apartheid was dismantled and the Springboks were | | | | out of sport. Their involvement in a quota system has |
| readmitted to international rugby in 1992. | | | | proved disastrous as is clear from the pathetic |
| One of the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments | | | | performance of South African athletes at the Beijing |
| The team made its World Cup debut in 1995, when the | | | | Olympics. After all, sport is about who is the best and |
| newly democratic South Africa hosted the tournament | | | | wins. It is not about a quota system or who is the |
| and there was a remarkable surge of support for the | | | | blackest or whitest. It takes a long time to train and |
| Springboks among the white and black communities in | | | | coach great sportsmen and sportswomen and is not a |
| the lead-up to the tournament. This was the first major | | | | political event like the typical unfair (s)election so |
| event to be held in what Archbishop Desmond Tutu | | | | common in Africa. |
| had dubbed "the Rainbow Nation", with South Africans | | | | Today, South Africa plays in green jerseys with a gold |
| uniting behind the "one team, one country" slogan. The | | | | collar, white shorts and green socks. Their jersey is |
| Springboks defeated the All Blacks in the final, which is | | | | embroidered with the SA Rugby brandmark and the |
| now remembered as an iconic moment in the history | | | | flag of South Africa on the sleeve. In December 2008, |
| of the sport, and a watershed moment in the | | | | the South African Rugby Union chose to go the |
| post-apartheid nation-building process. | | | | dreaded co-branding route and to place the Protea on |
| Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok rugby jersey and | | | | the left side of the Springboks' jersey, in line with other |
| baseball cap, presented the World Cup to the South | | | | South African national teams, and move the Springbok |
| African captain, Francois Pienaar, a white Afrikaner, to | | | | brandmark to the right of the jersey. The new jersey |
| the joy of the capacity crowd. The moment is thought | | | | was worn for the first time during the British and Irish |
| by some to be one of the most famous finals of any | | | | Lions tour of South Africa in June and July 2009. The |
| sport and was listed as one of the 100 Greatest | | | | funny thing is, nobody noticed the new blossom and |
| Sporting Moments on a British television programme. | | | | the Springboks were even more popular than ever, |
| The gesture was widely seen as a major step | | | | especially after their series victory over the Lions. |
| towards the reconciliation of white and black South | | | | Politicians should take note that it does not matter if |
| Africans. Notably, the day after the World Cup victory, | | | | the jersey has an intricate step-and-repeat-pattern all |
| the Zulu word for Springbok, Amabokoboko, appeared | | | | over it, containing thousands of proteas. The South |
| as the headline of the Sowetan's sports page. | | | | African national rugby union team will always be |
| A series of crises followed from 1995 to 1997, with | | | | referred to as the Springboks because the brand will |
| allegations by politicians that South African rugby was | | | | always be stronger than the politicians, regardless of all |
| an unreformed element of the new Rainbow Nation. In | | | | their politicking. |
| July 2006, Springbok coach Jake White told the press | | | | |