Never Say Die Attitude

I love it when the impossible happens as it is just so unexpected. this was the case in 2014 in the University Rugby Cup Final played in South Africa. You start to ask yourself how a team can raise their game or is it the other team psychologically thinking they have already won.

Coaches always tell you to play to the final whistle and to keep the ferocity at a high level. The same can be said for a losing team as desperation kicks in as you have nothing to lose. Change what you have been doing and throw abandon to the wind. If you lose by 5 points or 20 points it doesn't matter as you lost anyway. At least lose trying something different and who knows it may even pay off, but it is rare and special when it does.

This game was memorable for a few reasons as the Cape Town team (UCT) was playing at Pochefstroom's home ground in front of a partisan crowd. They had been leading by 33-14 with 6 minutes to play. It doesn't take a genius to work out that they have their backs against the wall. They need to score 3 tries in 6 minutes when they have only scored 2 in 74 minutes.

Here is another one that can be blamed on one person. This was the University Cup Final from 2014. The ones in the stripes were trailing when the hooter blew and the idiot from the other team went for a drop goal when all he needed to do as kick the ball off the park.

I actually love it when this happens as it was a home ground final and it was silenced. You play as a team and it must be heartbreaking when someone does this sort of thing. All the training and effort to get into this position for someone to carelessly throw it away.

The clip above shows you that they not only pulled off the impossible but also did it in some style. Yes it was a "sporting cock up" by the Potchefstroom University flyhalf who should have booted the ball off the pitch when the hooter sounded. Instead he wanted to finish it off in style and cost his team the trophy by being a glory boy. All the hours on the training field over the 14 weeks of the competition to be tossed away in a split second.

Sporting games are easy if you simplify things. We used to slow things down to make sure we knew what the plan was if something wasn't going to plan. We would fake an injury to buy us some time and fix things. We all knew whose turn it was to go down injured and we would have a code name for it. There is nothing worse playing away from home and getting thumped by the opposing team and abusive supporters with a home town referee. Another post maybe as there were options which we considered, but they were a little unsporting.

I enjoyed watching this unfold as what they had achieved up until the final try was already considered a fabulous comeback. The crowd went deadly quiet compared to the what was happening before and I am sure it was people screaming in shock as the try was being scored lol. Never say die attitude is rare and when it happens it is special.