Three days and counting to a big game and here in our lovely city of Durban the tension builds.

I will be at the game come Saturday as I am sure TB will be.  My wife is out looking for a Bok jersey, my son keeps screaming at me not to forget to have his face painted match day, and my step daughter is attending her first ever rugby match with a ho hum, “where’s my ipod” attitude…and what a first for her…Boks and All Blacks…

We have a nice a huge company tent set outside the stadium, and thank goodness that we are going through the company because at today's ticket price of R600.00, it would have cost me R2400.00 (about 450 Oz dollars. $500 Kiwi) to take my family to the game.

All those Fernsters overseas and including our expats, who will up at all odd hours watching from New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere, my first beer at the stadium will be a big cheers to you all, and I will keep in mind that although you are not there in flesh…the eyes of Baron, Bartman and everybody else will be on our little part of the world from all sorts of different weird times of mornings and nights, watching the same match with as much anticipation.

The excitement builds by day here, and I remember the only two times I have seen the All Blacks live was when the sods beat us 30-23 when a certain fat bastard embarrassed the shit out of all decent Bok supporters… and before that, a dramatic Bok win in 1998 with three tries in the last ten overhauling a a 15 point deficit for a dramatic victory.  Never thought I would ever feel sorry for a Kiwi on a losing side, but the shattered look on Taine Randalls face…he was not too far from where I was seated near the corner try line….I really felt for the guy in that moment.

But what blood pumping atmosphere, what drama and commotion. The thrill of a live Haka only metres away. Win or lose, both occasions have been pulsating stuff. And I expect nothing less come Saturday. So my live record stands between the sides at 1 all. My last beer will be to the side that takes a 2-1 lead in my personal record.

The last match when the Bokke lost 30-23 was also the first time I had met Kiwi supporters in the flesh, and although pumped up in the colours of the enemy, what helluva nice guys, what excellent sportsmanship between the supporters with both sides mingling with each other and some ragging each other in good, harmless, friendly, sporting manner.  Actually went into kick off thinking how likeable some of these enemy supporters are.  Despite the loss, the after match atmosphere, the braai’s on the field, the beers flowing, the music going, the kids running up and down, people dancing, the Kiwi supporters joining in, the odd bruiser making a pass at my wife.  What a complete day of rugby associated entertainment. This is the real deal.

Come Saturday, we will be getting at the stadium early and my wife has reminded me to pace my self properly with the beers if I hope to make the after events!  So my son has got his Bok kit spread across the bottom of his bed waiting for the big day, the guys at work are all making their biased forecast, others offering more sobering less emotive prospective, every customer passing through the store all have to stop and ask who the next person thinks will win on Saturday, and the black guys at work making a mockery of our government’s attempts to divide and rule, by all getting in behind the Boks. Got a Zimbabwean working here by us (not an illegal!) who surprised us all by pitching yesterday to work in violation of our uniform code, with a very faded Bok shirt.  Don’t know if he got his match day wrong, but if you are not going to use your uniform and get away with it, then throw on a Bok shirt anytime in a build up weak to an All Black test. Aint no one going to hassle you, mate!

The tension is here, more so because it is in our hometown and it is our turn to swap the TV set for the live event. So here it goes from me, good luck , may the best team win…may that team be the Boks…let the games begin.

This is what live rugby is all about.