Give Jan the red card
23 Mar 2009
Keo, in his weekly Business Day newspaper column, writes Vodacom’s Player 23 campaign is an insult to the cosmopolitan South African rugby supporter.
For 10 years South African rugby’s marketing team did everything to reflect that in a new South Africa there was a new South African rugby culture far removed from the brandy and coke potbellied types that stereotype the traditional white Afrikaans male’s bond with the game.
Zulu dancers were introduced as part of pre-match entertainment at Tests, playing quotas ensured black representation on the field and slowly blacks were enticed to experience an afternoon at the palace of what was once a white’s only affair.
There was an effort being made to change perception and to kill off stereotyping, but South African rugby could guarantee nothing outside of their control – and they don’t control who pays to go to a ground. They could not foresee Piet van Zyl, dressed in jeans and a Springbok jersey that couldn’t accommodate his barrel gut, casually wondering onto the field and assaulting Irish referee Dave McHugh when the Springboks played the All Blacks in Durban in 2002, and they could not be accountable for the actions of an unidentified individual who racially abuses another at a game.
All that South African rugby can control is that over which it has influence, and that is why the endorsement of Vodacom’s 2009 rugby campaign is baffling because all it has done is reinforce that the South African rugby fan is everything the organization has tried to convince us is no longer the case.
Vodacom, as the primary sponsor of rugby in South Africa, is celebrating the year of the fan. His name is Jan, he is player 23 in the team and he is a clone of the 1970s white Springbok rugby supporter – a walking caricature of what has always repulsed. Only they’ve given Jan a personality of being a jovial and hugely popular bloke, but perception is stronger than fact and the physical appearance of Jan and what he represents in the stands adds to the perception that rugby in South Africa is still a game supported only by grossly overweight brandy and coke potbellied types.
I have sympathy for the well-traveled and likeable modern Afrikaans-speaking South African who loves his language, loves his rugby and loves living in South Africa. This modern Afrikaner certainly doesn’t look or act like Jan and he must cringe every time he sees the advertisement.
In an evolving South African rugby audience market, Jan is in the minority at Stormers and Sharks matches, which says player 23 should be a celebration of something more than a pot-bellied Afrikaans speaking supporter. What of Gert, who is sophisticated, lean and intelligent? What of Sipho, who digs his rugby almost as much as he does soccer? What of Alice who never misses a game? What of Peter, who has always put the Springboks first on a Saturday afternoon?
Vodacom will defend their choice of Jan as good natured fun and SA Rugby will see nothing offensive in it, yet continue to wonder why the perception that their game caters only for conservative and racist whites.
The game in this country is more cosmopolitan in support than it has ever been and that is the pity of the advertisement because it reflects the past when there is so much of the current to be showcased when the British & Irish Lions visit in June.
This is not about being politically correct, but about accuracy in who supports the Springboks. There is more to South African rugby than Jan, but thanks to Jan it will take another 10 years to convince critics of South African rugby that there is life beyond the 23rd member of the team.
Things off the field have changed in our rugby and innovation would be celebrating this in the same way the Bulls and Sharks celebrated what hasn’t changed on the field, which is the ability of a good South African team to turn defence into the most lethal form of attack.
The Bulls and Sharks were brutal in defending their line against the Hurricanes and Force respectively, and the skill in maintaining defensive composure is equal to anything a team does when given the ball.
Rugby is a game played as much without the ball as with it, and at the weekend we saw two very good South African sides reinforce the stereotype that South African teams are more dangerous without the ball.
And, unlike Jan, that is a stereotype the cosmopolitan South African rugby fan should never find offensive.
1,374 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 [8] 9 10 11 12 13 … 28 » Show All
23 Mar 2009, 14:57 pm
#345 Ig:
Hahahahaha!
23 Mar 2009, 14:58 pm
#319 WP Till I Die Moet Sy Plek Ken:
lol, i think Piet is winding you up, very savvy that one, you okes still are worried about volksverraier and that kak, who cares, somme give your view and if ppl dont like it, tough.
23 Mar 2009, 14:59 pm
what are going on here?
23 Mar 2009, 15:00 pm
time for the old regulars to take this blog back, I say!
23 Mar 2009, 15:01 pm
#352 robdylan:
we teetering on the brink of having a barney as to whether jan is racist, stupid or funny.
23 Mar 2009, 15:02 pm
#336 Vinnie:
So soon!
I haven’t prepared anything!
Still have to get the dress!
23 Mar 2009, 15:02 pm
#353 robdylan: now here is a blast from the past. how you, RD?
23 Mar 2009, 15:02 pm
#351 cab:
CRIKEY!!!
And in strolls Cab and RobDylan!!
Welcome gents – will it be the usual?
23 Mar 2009, 15:03 pm
#354 robdylan:
What I’ve been saying all along.
I’m tired of McDonalds Happy Meals with a toy.
23 Mar 2009, 15:04 pm
#351 cab:
Fair enough!
23 Mar 2009, 15:04 pm
sorry onkel keo
ma’ ek vangie jou puntie!
23 Mar 2009, 15:06 pm
#357 Vinnie:
hello to you and Veltie, congratulation on the stormers thumping of the lions, which was one of the sorest days i can remember but might be the kick WP needs for the tour.
23 Mar 2009, 15:07 pm
#362 cab:
I voted the Stormers to win nil games overseas.
Mark me well.
23 Mar 2009, 15:07 pm
#353 robdylan:
How’s Sharksworld doing?
23 Mar 2009, 15:07 pm
Keo – why don’t you come up with a better character than Jan? Should he be some pot smoking dreadlocked hippy drinking cane and creme soda? Leave ‘Jan’ and whatever you have dreamed him up to be alone. In actual fact just leave the Afrikaner alone. You perpetuate the view on Afrikaners by writing this sort of trash. What would you have our representative character be? And by the way, what is wrong with a pot-bellied Afrikaner? Racist? Its like saying those Kaizer Chiefs fans dressed like Zulu warriors are racists – what utter rubbish!
23 Mar 2009, 15:08 pm
#358 Vinnie:
What date’s our wedding?
Vok this is a surprise.
23 Mar 2009, 15:08 pm
#361 cab: *** feeling like the japanese flag looks? lol…
my beloved stormers are not in the vibe, my man. something very wrong in that camp. apparently is has nothing to do with Luke…..
23 Mar 2009, 15:09 pm
#365 pommie:
Boet
All Afrikaners should look like Corne Uys with a beard.
Fullstop.
23 Mar 2009, 15:09 pm
#362 cab:
Very gracious of you Mr. Cab and many thanks.
I’m hoping they pull a Stormers and make a late surge up the table, but who knows.
Seems SA Rugby’s star has never shone brighter currently – let’s hope it holds!
You still in le Francais Cab?
23 Mar 2009, 15:09 pm
#363 Dawn:
serious? lol, u dont have much belief in them then?
Dunno if they click on the day, not many sides even in Nz and Oz, that can throw it around with *** abandon like the stormers.
23 Mar 2009, 15:10 pm
#365 pommie:
Erm… dude… I think you have the wrong end of a very long stick.
23 Mar 2009, 15:10 pm
#369 Vinnie:
Oy!
23 Mar 2009, 15:11 pm
#370 cab:
Lol. As mcuh as things change, so they stay the same.
Very good work Cab.
23 Mar 2009, 15:11 pm
#370 cab:
Wat is jou storie.
“*** abandon” indeed.
Throwing it around gayly does not always win games.
23 Mar 2009, 15:12 pm
#366 Dawn:
Erm… erm… I suppose there’s no easy way to break this to you Dawn… you missed the boat by about 3 months…
23 Mar 2009, 15:12 pm
the usual? A full-on racist barney?
Cab – I reckon Jan is just plain dumb. I see Keo’s point, though… the buffoons at SA Rugby have missed a trick here
23 Mar 2009, 15:12 pm
I feel so misuse/misbruik.
Roy has moderated me.
23 Mar 2009, 15:13 pm
#374 Dawn:
Actually throwing around **** rarely wins you anything.
23 Mar 2009, 15:13 pm
Hoe gaanit almal waar’s ouma?
23 Mar 2009, 15:14 pm
All we need now is ruck…
23 Mar 2009, 15:14 pm
#375 Vinnie:
Aaaaahhhhhhh you sly old fox you!!!!!!!
Congratulations!
So I take it the e-mail I’m getting will have PICS?
23 Mar 2009, 15:14 pm
#367 Veltie:
what with stripes coming out of the kol? lol.
you and vleis and vinnie and robd and ig and katman, all missed on here.
even saw kevin w and the old reverend jim jones on the other night.
No sign of StM, dont know whether to be thankful or not.
#369 Vinnie:
Yip, our rugby is the best i can remember it looking, dunno if thats cos the NZ sides are looking a little more beatable or what? yep still with les frogs, patience is running out, might try oz for a year or so and then back home. you still enjoying old blightey?
23 Mar 2009, 15:14 pm
#381 Dawn:
We have a no porn policy at work Dawn.
23 Mar 2009, 15:14 pm
#379 st.a.t.w:
Wie’s jou ouma.
23 Mar 2009, 15:15 pm
#381 Dawn:
But thank you nevertheless.
23 Mar 2009, 15:15 pm
#364 WP Till I Die Thinks For Himself: amazingly well, thanks… you should pop in sometime.
#357 Veltie: hey boet… long time! I’m lekker thanks.. how are you? Still hanging out at that appalling Aardvark place?
Vinnie… you get my SMS yesterday?
23 Mar 2009, 15:16 pm
#383 Vinnie:
Sis man.
WEDDING pics!
23 Mar 2009, 15:16 pm
#382 cab:
Agh ja it’s all good mate. Financial world is falling apart around me but het, it’s almost summer.
You’ve been talking about goign home for ages… pretty much since I met you.
23 Mar 2009, 15:17 pm
#382 cab: forgot about old StM….rumour was that he was a former provincial player in SA but now in England….. shitstirrer per excellance!
23 Mar 2009, 15:17 pm
(Have I finally gotten rid of that pestilence Sheriff)?
23 Mar 2009, 15:18 pm
#380 WP Till I Die Thinks For Himself:
Moenie worry nie, babes.
I’m gonna get her back for you.
23 Mar 2009, 15:18 pm
#386 robdylan:
Ja sorry I did. And I really mean to get back to you. Cracking idea and we’re actually just waiting for the invite that hasn’t been forthcoming in, what, like 2 years? ;-p
23 Mar 2009, 15:19 pm
#388 Vinnie:
Kom. Stuur die fotos.
NOU.
23 Mar 2009, 15:19 pm
#389 Veltie:
I thought Jorrie Muller retired to his farm?
23 Mar 2009, 15:19 pm
#376 robdylan:
sharks bounced back nicely hey? tried to post on your site a few times, but think my wordpress password is too short, besides your site is far too peaceful and civilised.
#388 Vinnie:
economy in sy moer in, i quite like it actually, exciting.
#389 Veltie:
former provincial player my arse! u being serious? remember him saying he played at the highest level, but that was the pomgolan tiddlywinks team.
23 Mar 2009, 15:20 pm
#393 Dawn:
Nofink wiff me dear Dawn but will bring a few from home tomorrow.
23 Mar 2009, 15:21 pm
#392 Vinnie:
You starting to talk like them.
“Cracking idea, what!”
23 Mar 2009, 15:21 pm
Showeee all this old school makes me feel like banning someone.
23 Mar 2009, 15:21 pm
#392 Vinnie: you okes are from the Northern suburbs… didn’t bother with an invite cos
a) I didn’t think you need one
and
b) I wasn’t sure you’d be able to read it
23 Mar 2009, 15:22 pm
#395 cab:
Yes. They are very sedate over there.
They drink tea with their pinkies up.
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