Rugby World Cup 2011: Heavy hearts head for home
PARTING is such sweet sorrow. The beaten World Cup quarter-finalists all headed home from New Zealand yesterday with heavy hearts.
For some, the chance of redemption will come in four years’ time in England; for significant others, their World Cup race is run.
Coming to terms with reality as the tournament speeds on without them is a disorientating experience. One moment it is full steam ahead with your band of brothers; the next...emptiness.
“You never prepare for how it ends because you want it to be a fairy tale, you want it to be a final,” said John Smit, whose seven years as South Africa captain ended in defeat against Australia.
“I’m devastated. It’s the end of a chapter. I’m proud of the guys I’ve played with and really proud to have been a Springbok, but there are a couple of us who aren’t going to play again and it’s a sad way to end it.”
Smit exited stage left alongside Victor Matfield, who shared the same hollow feeling at what he leaves behind. “I’m going to miss it. I love this game. It has been my life over the past 12 years, so it’s going to be tough. Hopefully it won’t be long before I get back into it with coaching or whatever,” he said.
You never prepare for how it ends because you want it to be a fairy tale, you want it to be a final
For Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma, journey’s end after a record 18 World Cup appearances over four tournaments means having to concentrate on life as scrum coach as Stade Francais.
“Everything I experience from here on will be banal compared with what I have lived through these past 16 years,” said Ledesma, who gazed heavenwards with a tear in his eye at Eden Park on Sunday as he went off against the All Blacks.
“It has been a huge privilege and great pleasure to play so long for the Pumas and it means a lot to me. It was my dream as a kid.
“I’ve experienced more with the Pumas than I had hoped. To play to the age of 38 and bow out with a quarter-final against New Zealand...”
There were no more words, only a gulp. In their private moments, others may share the same emotion.