Pride Restored? No chance!

Springbok-supporting conspiracy theorists left Ellis Park singing, 'I fought the script, but the script won!' after South Africa went out of the Tri-Nations with a predicted 'pat-on-the-back' 53-8 win over Australia on Saturday.

Commentators left the scene of the massacre asking if Springbok pride was restored (the scripted aim of this exercise) by this victory. But true analysts of the Tri-Nations believe they're kidding only themselves if they don't accept that the 2008 tournament has done Springbok rugby (and it's position in SANZAR) nothing but harm.

After all, they are out of the Tri-Nations and some say this has been the script decided by the SANZAR committee well ahead of actual play on the field.

A huge can of worms has been opened by these rigging allegations in terms of the 2008 Tri-Nations and some Springboks supporters are demanding the tournament be scrapped and that South Africa withdraw from what they brand a twisted traditional Trans-Tasman derby where the Boks are nothing but the third wheel.

Financial analysts say all the money and interest within the Tri-Nations contest lies between Australia and New Zealand and that's always going to sway matters in favour of a final scripted to showcase these two - and 2008 is not an exception.

Bok fans say they'd prefer a rivalry across their own 'ditch' with Argentina and that this type of Southern Hemisphere 'double-derby' structure would be much better for international rugby union as a whole [South Africa vs Argentina in one derby and Australia vs New Zealand in their own private derby].

Springbok fans feel that if this double-derby system was employed, the Springboks wouldn't be short-changed by the Oceanic rugby unions, who pitch and plug their own interests ahead of the South Africans, who are just a third wheel in the Tri-Nations.

They wouldn't have to contend with 'miracle-4-men' Aussies and Kiwis in loose play, either. (The miracle-4-men theory maintains a single Aussie or Kiwi is equal to four South Africans when contesting a ball in the eyes of Tri-Nations rugby referees). And they'd be free of all the bothersome financial wrangling that goes on inside the SANZAR committee.

As a Springbok fan, I'm disheartened by the whole mess and when I look at the power tussle between the NZRU and Aussie media giants I'd rather opt out. I hope 2008 is the last Tri-Nations we'll ever see and that the Argentina derby becomes a replacement for this tournament in 2009.

I'd rather play 'backyard' rugby on the level with Argentina than continue a corrupt relationship with the All Blacks and Wallabies.

Good luck to them... now the conspiracy theorists only hope of a victory in 2008 is an upset by the All Blacks. Can you handle that? Bring on Argentina!

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