"Durban Backs the Boks" RUGBY TIME

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I draped a South African flag poncho around my shoulders and fastened a South African headband around my forehead--the night was about to get wild.  Saturday marked the night of the big international game: Australia v. South Africa! Compared to American football rugby is not as similar as I anticipated: 

1. It's more continuous--however, the amount of time saved because of the continuity of the play is eaten up by the amount of injury time.  Rugby (no matter how exciting) seems like a sure way to break a limb.
2. I still don't understand most of the rules of rugby but if American football players were told they couldn't pass the ball forward...we'd have another NFL lockout in a minute.
3. No padding.  Rugby players are REAL men.
4. No cowbells.  I felt a little responsibility to represent the hillbilly-infested part of the States and ring a North Carolinian cowbell in the air but somehow I resisted the urge.
5. When going to buy food during halftime you won't find peanuts and popcorn.  Instead, it's hardcore kettlecorn and biltong.  And personally I had no problem with the culinary options.

South Africa lost, sadly, but that did mean less people were chugging celebratory beers! It took a while to scrub off the Springbok face tattoos but rugby is a true national experience.  However, while I'd like to say that rugby is the uniting force in South Africa that brings every social class, ethnic group, and age together...I'd be lying.  It was obvious as we drove through the city just 5 hours before the big game, looking wildly for Springbok gear and jerseys, that for certain groups in South Africa rugby isn't their party.  While driving through the center of town (where most of the street trading businesses are located) someone in our car pointed out that the people selling their goods on the streets "are generally more into soccer".  If you've seen the movie Invictus (brilliant movie, by the way), ponder about why different ethnic and socioeconomic groups prefer, or don't prefer, rugby.