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Wellington - After his resounding send-off of the Springboks last week in which Sports Minister, Fikile Mbalula stated that the Boks should “moer” their Rugby World Cup opposition, the MP made yet another sweeping statement in the New Zealand capital.
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Mbalula, who is in Wellington for the Boks’ opening match against Wales on Sunday, made the statement in an address at the opening of a South African hospitality and networking centre at a nearby Wellington waterfront hotel
He directed his address at Bok naysayers, saying that if they don't have anything positive to contribute to the team, they need to remain quiet during the RWC.
Thursday's Cape Times reports that guests included Springbok management and officials from the South African embassy in Wellington.
“Those self-seeking Johnny-come-lately’s who were not there when you played Test and Tri-Nations rugby; those recalcitrant pessimistic cowards, who, when faced with challenges, stuck their heads in the sand like ostriches and did nothing to support the team,” stated Mbalula before saying, “mense, ons moet altyd die span ondersteun. As ons verloor, verloor ons saam. As ons wen, wen ons saam. Vorentoe Die Bokke!”
Mbalula then added that the RWC was not the place to address the issue of transformation within South African rugby and that the only focus should be on supporting the Boks and enjoying the game of rugby.
"He gave one hell of a speech last night, ending it thus: 'Motherland or death. we shall win. Nkosi. Baie Dankie. Siyabonga."
Click to BUY the new Drifta Mobile USB Decoder
Click to BUY the Rugby World Cup 2011 Game for Xbox
Mbalula, who is in Wellington for the Boks’ opening match against Wales on Sunday, made the statement in an address at the opening of a South African hospitality and networking centre at a nearby Wellington waterfront hotel
He directed his address at Bok naysayers, saying that if they don't have anything positive to contribute to the team, they need to remain quiet during the RWC.
Thursday's Cape Times reports that guests included Springbok management and officials from the South African embassy in Wellington.
“Those self-seeking Johnny-come-lately’s who were not there when you played Test and Tri-Nations rugby; those recalcitrant pessimistic cowards, who, when faced with challenges, stuck their heads in the sand like ostriches and did nothing to support the team,” stated Mbalula before saying, “mense, ons moet altyd die span ondersteun. As ons verloor, verloor ons saam. As ons wen, wen ons saam. Vorentoe Die Bokke!”
Mbalula then added that the RWC was not the place to address the issue of transformation within South African rugby and that the only focus should be on supporting the Boks and enjoying the game of rugby.
"People who want to discuss transformation in rugby, this is not the time for discussions," he added.
"And as for the share of the commercial revenue derived from rugby merchandise, they must not wait for the World Cup to raise their selfish interests and or drive their agendas."We have created platforms and forums for us to engage in these debates like the forthcoming Sport and Recreation Indaba.This is not a space of debate it is an arena of battle to conquer the world. We can’t polarise the nation when we are supposed to be united around one cause and that is why I’m confident that the people of our country will ignore such people."
SARU's general manager of corporate affairs, Andy Colquhoun applauded Mbalula's fervent support of the Springboks since becoming the Minister of Sport."He gave one hell of a speech last night, ending it thus: 'Motherland or death. we shall win. Nkosi. Baie Dankie. Siyabonga."
