IMAGINE
Once that initial feeling of losing a match we could have one had subsided, I got down to appreciating the compliments from a great number of visitors to the club. Some were UCT stalwarts and office bearers. There were members of other clubs, and some were just Club rugby followers. And then there were those longstanding Bay members (one never leaves False Bay), who were drawn by the attention the club is enjoying.
The victory might have been left on the pitch, but it was off the pitch that False Bay RFC has won hands down. The Varsity Cup and the roadshow that accompanies it, has given rugby at the Universities such an injection of interest, that it is a non-stop feelgood party.
Yet False Bay has created that environment at its home ground.
Rugby is entertainment. If you are old school and don’t agree, well then enjoy your old Betamax recordings of Naas Botha kicking a heavy leather ball all over Loftus or any other pitch, all the while being hailed as a god, his 14 elves religiously toiling to deliver quality possession for his talents. He was a genius, and this is not about him. It’s about the game.
It has changed and along with those changes came the expectation of the spectator to arrive at a venue and be entertained. Once satiated, he left and decided afterwards if the experience was satisfying or not.
But rugby is not a movie. It is not about sitting down and watching someone else’s interpretation of a script. Rugby is real. It has texture and feel. Club rugby is not about watching the game, it’s about being a part of the game, if not on, then certainly off the field.
That is a part of the Varsity Cup success.
At False Bay, we have created that environment. One where everyone is welcome and can share in the experience of the day, an environment where friends are made and society benefits through positive interaction.
Over the last fortnight False Bay has hosted two Southern Suburbs giants, Villager and UCT. These games have attracted large crowds and the spirit has been tremendous. Numerous people commented on the energy and vibe at the club yesterday.
The sidelines were thickly lined with spectators. Parking was precious and as one approached the clubhouse, the smell of burgers cooking on the Spur griddle met one with a hungry invite to join in on the fun.
On the far side of the clubhouse was a bright red beer tent, kindly erected by Nomadik Stretch Tents, allowing for speedy service of one’s favourite cold brew. DJ Danie had his music playing, volume continuously adjusted so as not to be intrusive, all the while generating enthusiasm.
Bob “Come on Now” Fabre had a queue running. There were moms and dads and tots all waiting to have their red, green and white stripes painted onto their faces. His offer to use the enormous canvas which is my bald head was kindly rejected.
That same face paint suffered an early and sweaty death on a group of about 20 kids who were playing touch rugby behind the poles while the main game was being contested.
There were a group of folks who had a braai going behind the poles, enjoying the warm Winter sun and chanting “False Bay, False Bay, False Bay” to the tune of “Ole, Ole, Ole”.
The rugby was hard and uncompromising. The Under 20s were gallant in their defeat against opposition who has first dibs on the rugby talent available exiting school every year. They never gave up and although they may have lost, they did themselves proud, which after all is what matters most.
The Third Team ground out a victory, setting the tone for the day. The Seconds snatched a draw at the death and the First XV may have lost, but have won the hearts of the club rugby followers.
Irrespective of what happens in their final three matches, and discount a surprise or two at your own peril, they are the “Team of the Year”. The success of the Bay in the SLA has been on the lips of so many.
A Bay stalwart related last week how he overheard, last October, two SK Walmers members talking about False Bay while in the changerooms at a Cape Town gym. The gist of the conversation was simply that False Bay will be going back down to the SLB at the end of 2010.
That comment was quite commonplace at the end of last year. Let’s not gloat. This achievement, while ultimately being earned on the pitch by a select band of warriors, belongs to each and every Bay member of the last seven years.
As a club, we stood up from the ashes of 2003 and built False Bay to what it is now. And the job is not yet done. Next season is an important part of the revival. Hamiltons did not achieve last year’s success in one season.
Back to the environment which has been created. False Bay has become a place for all to enjoy, not just to watch rugby, but to spend an afternoon and evening of fun and laughter.
A young lady posted this on Facebook, “had such fun last nite at the last False Bay home game. Hung out with some great guys and gals :)”.
Doesn’t that say it all?
I was chatting to a guy I’ve known for about 30 years, a member of UniMil in its heyday, and a club rugby diehard. We were watching the Bay boys sing the Bay song, “Sweet Caroline”. It’s always a particularly touching moment for me because I remember during the tough SLB days, often watching these lads, bruised and scratched like cats by dubiously motivated opposition, proudly strutting their stuff to a song which their parents loved, but which had taken on a whole new meaning.
My friend turned to me and with heartfelt warmth said that False Bay has created such a warm environment for people to enjoy the game and make friends. He noted the rich mixture of the club’s membership and how totally at home everyone seemed.
So, my emotions do gush at times, I make no excuses. I am proud of False Bay and it’s achievements over the last number of years. There are men who have contributed to this success immensely, they know who they are.
I hope False Bay are the vanguard of a resurgence of Club rugby in the Western Cape, not only on the field, but as a means of involving people in a social environment where they are welcomed as a part of society and in turn play a role in the social enhancement of South Africa.
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
-John Lennon, Imagine.
Jon Harris
