Stories about SA's heroes must never stop
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The contributions of Springbok legends such as Danie Gerber to the rich history of South African rugby should not be forgotten, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane emphasises the importance of preserving the sport's heritage in the Republic, highlighting the need to celebrate iconic players and unforgettable matches.
Inspired by a SuperSport series on the Soweto Derby, Keohane underscores how storytelling can captivate modern audiences, even those who engage with rugby more socially than analytically.
He believes that Gerber exemplifies the players whose contributions deserve ongoing recognition. Despite South Africa's isolation limiting him to just 24 Tests across 12 years, Gerber's raw power, grace and game-changing skills left an indelible mark.
Keohane fondly recalls Gerber's brilliance, from his dazzling pass to Carel du Plessis at Twickenham to his hat-trick against England in 1984 and double against the All Blacks in 1992. His achievements earned him induction into World Rugby's Hall of Fame in 2015.
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"I have loved the SuperSport soccer series on the history of the Soweto Derby," he writes. "I have watched many of the matches in the last 30 years, but it is the storytelling and the revisiting of the glorious matchups from earlier days that has been as enchanting as it has been educational.
"Rugby needs more of this kind of storytelling.
"Gerber turns 67 in the next few months but I, for one, never think of him as anything but the player who sparked it all on the field. Gerber, in interviews, always credited his love for soccer and playing soccer at an early age, for his strength in leg movement as a rugby player, and the irony of that was not lost on me when thinking about his exploits while watching a soccer series on the Soweto Derby.
"Rugby, in South Africa, has so much history, on both sides of what was the racial divide, pre 1992's national unification. Stories have been told, but the storytelling of those heroes must never stop."
Photo: Howard Boylan/Getty Images
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