No Springbok on chest of RWC South African Jersey

[Shaggy]

Okay, I admit that I am not a South African, but this, quite frankly, upsets me.

... I feel as strongly about this as the IRB dictating Haka policy ... the Springbok symbol first and foremost is part off Rugby tradition, and as such, surely the IRB can grant an exception to allow it to be displayed somewhere on the front of the Jersey

Here's the article from the South African Sport 24 site... your thoughts are welcome


Pretoria - The Springbok emblem will not be on the chest of the Springbok jersey at the World Cup in New Zealand next year.

Springbok supporters are in for a shock on Friday when the South African Rugby Union (SARU) introduces a supporters' shirt in anticipation of the World Cup, which will kick off in New Zealand in less than a year.

Government guidelines determine that the official South African sports emblem - the protea - be placed on the left side of the chest on national sports jerseys.

This rule had already forced SA Rugby to move the Springbok from the left of the chest to the right side.

According to guidelines from the International Ruby Board (IRB), its World Cup logo must be placed on the right side of the chest on all teams' jerseys during the tournament.

In the Springboks' case, this means there will be no space on the front of the jersey for the most famous badge in world rugby.

Negotiations in this regard between the IRB, the government and SA Rugby have apparently ended in a stalemate, which leaves SARU with no choice but to move the Springbok to the sleeve of the World Cup jersey.

This might be everything but a popular choice, but SA Rugby doesn't have much of a choice in this case.

The IRB's policy also determines that no jersey sponsor's name may appear on the jerseys, which means Absa - who in all likelihood will take over as sponsor from Sasol next year - will not be able to exercise that right during the World Cup.

The Springbok emblem and its placement on the jersey has long been an emotional issue, and it's mainly thanks to former president Nelson Mandela that the emblem has stayed on the jersey.

 

[Feicarsinn]

That is shite out! I blame two sets of people: The RWC committee in charge of this kind of thing (surely they could have made an exception) and the South African rugby (changing the emblem in the first place for gad's sake).

Angry now.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Absolutely mad.

 

[Sker]

*sigh*

You sortoff get numb after being repeatedly hit by a bat (which consists of frozen horse feces) Welcome to being a South African.




EDIT: I don't think anyone wants to see me ranting, hehe.

 

[Feicarsinn]

What utter f...ing bullshit! Sometimes this **** piece of crap makes me so angry... I hate our f...cking government...

**** politics and **** politicians, may their scrotums be slowly and painfully removed, especially the whole stinking heap of **** known as the ANC! (Not racist,just because I think the ANC is pile of rotten kak, it does not mean I'm racist!)

I don't think anyone here would say you are being racist. The sounds coming out of South Africa over the last few years have been troubling to say the least.

 

[smartcooky]

Utter ******* political ********.

Perhaps the South African players, as a group, should threaten to boycott international rugby until the ******* idiots who make this kind of policy, can get their heads out of their arses and realise that the game is not about them.

PS: Sorry about the swearing, but this kind of bullshit really, really, really makes me angry!!!!

 

[Dizzy]

Why don't they just put the springbok in the middle of the jersey?.. Im sure they have something like this done to their 100 test match jerseys...

 

[nickdnz]

Yeah, it's a real shame. If the All Blacks were told they can't wear the silver fern, I'd be furious. Condolences to Springbok fans.

 

[jawmalawm24]

Bloody politics gees they **** you off. They should keep their heads out of it and stop being idiots.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Only one man can once again have a say on this ... C'mon Mandela son sort this crap out!

 

[cyRil]

Why don't they just put the springbok in the middle of the jersey?.. Im sure they have something like this done to their 100 test match jerseys...

For the World Cup they have to have the RWC 2011 emblem, the official badge and the kit supplier's badge so apparently no room for the Springbok.
South African politics can go **** itself?

 

[skittles]

Put a giant Springbok where the sponsor's emblem usually goes. Problem solved. Probably **** a few people off, too.

 

[cyRil]

No one is allowed sponsors on their WC jerseys, right?

 

[Sam Owen]

Suprised that none of our South African posters have had nothing to say about the matter, it'd be interesting to see how it is felt in South Africa.

 

[Seaton]

Suprised that none of our South African posters have had nothing to say about the matter, it'd be interesting to see how it is felt in South Africa.

You may wish to consider geographical, and therefore time differences, twas nighty night here in SA until, well now



One question, what does politics have to do with this?
And if one points to the Protea being added on, it would be SARU's fault for not having communicated this to the IRB earlier (I think that this sponsorship 'rule' was in place in 2007?)
In which case their would have been time to make alternate arrangements

 

[TyphoonsRugby]

I dont think they're with us after the assumption their heads would've exploded after reading this news...

 

[Amobokoboko]

That they just put the springbok logo under the protea logo like they did on the old shirts.
I absolutely don't see why politics have to interfere here.

 

[Sam Owen]

You may wish to consider geographical, and therefore time differences, twas nighty night here in SA until, well now

WELL EXCUSE ME lol...

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well. like someone else said, just put it on the front of the shirt where the sponsor name usually is. I really don't understand why they are doing this. This is partly the fault of the SA government that decided that the Protea is now the emblem of all sports teams. In fact, it's a symbol that is only an addition to the normal emblems. The football team has it's own logo + the Protea. The Springbok is the official logo of the Rugby team. I really don't understand why there is no space for the Springbok emblem.

O well. Just one of those things again. Not going to worry about it too much. It's just a waste of time.

 

[MichaelBoard]

I think its terrible that theres no room for the Springboks emblem to be on the jersey. I don't know how South Africans feel abou this but as a welshman if it was decided that there was no room for the welsh feathers on our jersey then I'd be gutted and definitely have something to say about it, as I'm sure would most of the other supporteers around Wales.