I'm a HUGE Springbok rugby fan, but it's not an easy job. At times, I look at the All Blacks and Wallabies and marvel at how easy their supporters have it. However, as disappointed as can be, I believe Springbok rugby deserves a special, almost reverend or sacred status in rugby union because of its unique role in the history, not only of rugby union, but of South Africa and the world as we know it.

No national rugby union outfit has had such an impact on people in a developing nation and world and thus I support the Boks, out of loyal admiration. Feelings of a partisan fan maybe, but aren't we all entitled to our preferences and pains?

Within that understanding of fanatic support, and at this juncture of the Tri-Nations, I am going to do something of a turnaround as a Springbok supporter and 'boycott' the Boks in the Tri-Nations until the South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU) gets its act together. I obviously don't want the ABs or Wallabies to win, but I DON'T want to whole-heartedly support a Bok win ... a complex NO WIN situation.

This development of my 'understanding' as a Bok fan has been brewing for long while, a 10 to 15-year process that reached a tipping point when I had a surprise 'meeting' with the head of Bok rugby, Oregan Hoskins himself.

I'll explain what happened and the underlying causes for dissatisfaction.

The Eastern Cape is the poorest province in South Africa. Within the South African internal rugby union set-up, Johannesburg as a gold-rush town has economically stripped the historically significant Eastern Province over the last 150 years. Wedged between the Sharks, the Cheetahs, the Stormers and the deep blue sea, the once-proud rugby supporters of EP have been abused almost to the point of of no return. And I am one such rugby supporter.

My gripe with SARFU and Eastern Cape rugby goes back, as I said, at least 15 years to the advent of the professional era of rugby union which effectively killed a non-economic powerhouse team like Eastern Province.

As a franchise, the money simply wasn't there to continue a provincial side with 150 years of history, so SARFU, with plenty other healthy 'children', let this one die. A disgrace! And when I bumped into Mr Hoskins at a local hotel in Port Elizabeth this week, I politely walked up to him and told him just that.

Mildly, abruptly but politely, I simply made it clear the current status quo was a blight or pox mark on South African rugby as a whole and that nine million people of this Eastern Province of South Africa would be the victims of SARFU abuse until EP rugby is restored to its former glory.

Mr Hoskins equally politely admitted: ''That's true, but SARFU is re-igniting the 'new' EP franchise as we speak.'' (I'm not holding my breath).

I left it at that, but I'm unsure that I can. I personally find it hard to support SARFU through the Springboks and in a bid to personally put pressure on Hoskins and company, I 'temper' my support of a team which is increasingly becoming 'alien' to me as an Eastern Caper.

A huge problem really. Nine million South Africans are abused when SARFU gets it wrong and negligently lets rugby wilt in this region. Nine million South Africans don't get to represent the Boks when now Zimbabweans do (see the ever-growing list of Zimbo caps in the Bok squad). It's more than a disgrace, it's criminal!

As a local EP fan, I cannot go to a stadium on a Friday or Saturday and watch a game like they do in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban or even Bloemfontein. I'm forced to put on the telly and support the Stormers, the Sharks or, heaven forbid, the Cheetahs (no one is daft enough to support the Blue Blues).

And then, from these lads, they select the Boks, who I'm then further forced to support, along with a bunch of Zimbos! Not a pretty picture, I'm sure you'll agree...

So, ONE Springbok fan has decided to bail out of this Tri-Nations in silent objection. To those that simply support the ABs and Wally wannabes, good luck. I hope you ALL lose. (I'll continue with my struggle to figure out mathematically how that's possible and how to RAGE against the unjust machine that's the current mismanagement of South African rugby!)