- The time had come – by tonight South Africans were posed to either be triumphant in victory, or steeped into some lowly form of “dronk-verdriet” (drunken-sadness). For weeks, we had watched the Boks trash one team after the next. Not always enthralled with their play, but nevertheless impressed that finally that the post-1995 slump was lifting and that the Springboks were becoming a force to be reckoned with once again. In the week leading up to the final, Bok patriotism had reached a new high, and over night, “green and gold” had become the latest fashion accessory. Rugby supporters wore their jerseys with pride. Street vendors finally had wares th…