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South African Sport

Sport is played around the world. It is a unifying activity that brings together people from all walks of life. When you are attending a match, age, race, education and gender does not matter anymore. Nowhere is this fact more true than in the case of South African Sport.

South Africa is a cosmopolitan country with many different sports being played. This article will only concentrate on the Big Three of South African sport, namely cricket, rugby and soccer (football).

South African Cricket

south african sport cricket The South African National cricket team is called the Proteas, named after the South African National flower. The Proteas are a very successful team, ranking in the Top Five for Test and Limited Over cricket world team rankings.

South African Cricket has come a long way since the dark days of pre-democratic South Africa. The team has grown in both talent and strength and now boasts well distributed makeup of black as well as white player. Unfortunately the Proteas has not yet been able to win the coveted Cricket World Cup yet, but, as any supporter will tell you: "Just wait for next time!"

South African Rugby

south african sport rugby The Springboks, or the Boks, as they are affectionately known, is the name given to the South African national rugby team. Winning the Rugby World Cup not once, but twice, the team is the pride of the country.

The Boks got their nickname from the Springbok, which is a subspecies of the Thomsons Gazelle native to South Africa. The Springboks are the original reason for South Africa's national colors being green and gold.

Back in the late 1800's and early 1900's, national rugby teams were being formed world wide. The custom then was that the national team were to wear the same colors as those of the club from which the new team's captain heralds. In similar fashion, Australia's gold and green, and New Zealand's black, were decided according to this tradition.

The Boks where instrumental in uniting former fragmented cultural groups in South African when they won the Rugby World Cup in 1995. For the first time in the tumultuous history of the country, South African's from all walks of life joined together to celebrate the victory.

It was a momentous occasion, and I can truly say that it was a time where nothing felt impossible. There is only one other team that has managed to bring such a feeling of joy and unity to South Africans. This team is Bafana Bafana.

South African Soccer (Football)

south african sport soccer Soccer, also known as Football, is the most popular team sport in South Africa today. Soccer enjoys a wide following: from the rural areas, townships, suburbs and big city centers, soccer is being followed and enjoyed everywhere.

South Africa has a multitude of soccer clubs. The South African National Soccer team is endearingly referred to as Bafana Bafana.

Together with the Springboks, Bafana Bafana has managed to capture the hearts and minds of all South Africans and bring together the multitude of cultures in the Rainbow Nation. In 1996 Bafana Bafana won the African Cup of Nations, and all over South Africa fans celebrated.

Since winning the African Cup of Nations, Bafana Bafana has not yet been able to win any more tournaments. But despite this, South Africans still stand strong behind their team.

Earlier in 2010 South Africa hosted the Soccer World Cup. The whole nation supported Bafana Bafana wholeheartedly, and where able to present a Soccer World Cup to the world that would be hard to top. Bafana Bafana will always have a special place in the hearts of South Africans.