The anomaly of narrow wins

Is a narrow win enough to satisfy biased logic. One might argue about this...a 1 point win in a world cup final...the difference only being a conversion versus a penalty goal...even though the conversion was more difficult...the try was borderline at the most extreme touchdown.

All of us have to agree that there is a sting in victory and loss if it's narrow. It certainly challenges logic but there is no further debate...a win is a win. The AB's have never quite come to terms with WC results especially in 1995...when Joel's drop turned the country upside down...against dare I say it against Francois Pienaars instruction...only a "drop goal" against the chief's direction. Fortune often favours the daring and bold but it can often if it fails come back and sting you bad.

WC final AB's versus France...same thing...so slight but important...but truthfully does it make you the best in the world??

Technically speaking, justice was done here as unquestionably the AB's deserved the honour because of their consistent and ongoing achievements. But WC's are different because they bring in another ability that all other tournaments or tests don't...the battle of extreme nerves and the fear of failure.

This will always apply...if you are in the arena in the final battle you have got through the obstactles and deserve to be there.

At the end of the day the winner takes it all...that's the do or die excitement...it makes you a champion but is it really the best in the world in the wider sense but there's no other parameter to judge...the runner is also a hero if he takes it on the chin gives honour to his competitor , rises up and sees the future as a challenge to beat his winning opponent next encounter.

 I've watched tennis and watched the tennis champions...Pistol Pete, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Djokovic, Federer, Nadal etc eversince the days of Arthur Ashe, Boris Becker, Connors and Stephie Graf and many others...they are all true champions when they lose they always come back until they reach a stage of simply "I've achieved my bit...there is always a time to acknowledge when you are loosing the edge...we all get old even the champs.

Sportmanship is honouring the game...there's always has to be winner and a loser...really does prove much except public acclaim but it's important to achieve but no player or team is bigger than the game itself and really sportsmen and women, I guess know this.

So guys and gals let's really enjoy the sport, the competition and comradry it represents...it's not the end of the world if your team loses and it really isn't worthy of excessive boasting if you win.

It is just fun. 

I agree 100% with what was posted above. I understand that we have delved into an era where professionalism has radically changed the way sports are viewed or played around the world. In some countries (mine, for example), the great players are sometimes turned into deities. I on the other hand believe we must demystify the whole thing.

 

After all, let's see it for what it is -- leaving fanatism, passion and pride aside -- a game. A Rugby game consists of 30 guys or gals chassing an odd shaped ball around a pitch. I pay more attention to what they do off the pitch. The way they carry themselves with integrity, pride, humility and an unquenchable thirst to improve and help others.

 

Maybe I am too naive or too much of an idealist. But oh well!

 

 

Interesting topic Seb! It is a tough one for me, because I am a very competitive person by nature. Any sport I play, serious or otherwise, I play to win. That said, as I get older my appreciation of sportsmanship has overtaken my will to win. A lesson I maybe learned a little to late. I may have enjoyed many of the sports I played more if I had not been quite as obsessed with winning. Having said that, it is the will of both the fans and the players to win that creates the intensity that makes sport so popular.

That said, as I get older my appreciation of sportsmanship has overtaken my will to WIN.

Thats an obvious truth, But age is not a deformity but an accumulation of truth...I met an uncle, not the direct peer of a well known youngster that is battling to overtake an established player in a key Springbok challenge...he said this...I love my nephew...I believe in him...he believes in himself and God and if God appoints him in his life to play rugby or anything else he will (and can) only do his best. He is willing to surrender his talent to good forces that either inch him out or be accepted.

That's the type of youngster in all fields of life...not only a bigotted sport I would be proud of. I think most of you know who he is...but he is the type of man that is very private, withdrawn at times but very mentally strong strong...a King David of the bible.