The Big Game
Just in case you’ve only just landed on Earth with the last meteor shower, there is a big rugby game on this Sunday (kick-off 8am NZT). It’s the final of the Rugby World Cup and it’s between two absolute powerhouses of rugby, South Africa and New Zealand.
Now, many New Zealanders, me included, doubted the All Blacks would get this far. Many thought Ireland would knock us out in the quarterfinals. The All Blacks’ results have been a bit patchy over the last couple of years, and many people lost faith in Ian Foster and his team, or should I say our team. Yet, here we are. And I feel proud of Ian Foster and all his coaching assistants – and of course the All Blacks themselves – in achieving so much.
Some of you may now be wondering if this is a sports column or a Catholic viewpoint. Well, it’s both. As Catholics, often we can lose faith in God (the coach) and the team (the Catholic Church – with due respect to the other Christian denominations). So perhaps there’s a lesson there that we should hang tough and keep believing, even when the ‘results’ don’t happen straight away. Furthermore, these All Blacks have grown better with adversity. They’ve been shaped, strengthened and forged in hardship. This hardship has contributed to their success now. And win or lose this Sunday, Ian Foster and his squad have still been successful in making the final. But as Catholics, sometimes we too get forged through adversity, and as a team we help each other through; and our faith may well be stronger, deeper, and more mature because of this adversity.
To the game itself, of course I want the All Blacks to win! But a heck of a lot of South Africans, not only in South Africa but here in Aotearoa New Zealand, want the Springboks to win. So, let’s not be too tribal about the game. Let’s enjoy what I hope is a fantastic game of rugby. I hope the game is played in the right spirit and we can embrace the camaraderie with our South African brethren. We should join with them in celebrating what rugby means to our two countries. And let’s remember that not everyone is into the rugby. Therefore, try not to roll your eyes when some of our fellow Catholics say ‘It’s just a game.’ Hey, they are Kiwis too!
Whatever happens this Sunday, may the All Blacks and Springboks be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
And finally, in the spirit of Christ, may both teams and their supporters be forgiving towards the referee, no matter how hard this may be.
Kia kaha and God bless you all
Steve