TREVOR OU TIM writes…South African public broadcaster SABC launched the “It’s Our Game’ IRB Rugby World Cup 2011 campaign to the media at M1 Studio, Johannesburg on 17 August.
SABC announced its programming schedule and showed the Rugby World Cup TV ad / promo for the first time. The broadcaster also introduced a dance and song aimed at inspiring the nation to rally behind the current world champions, the South African Springboks (“Bokke’). The World Cup runs in New Zealand from 9 September to 23 October 2011.
SABC’s Morning Live presenter, Leanne Manas, MC-ed the event and introduced spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, who started his presentation by saying: “”Feel It!’, the slogan from the SABC’s 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, will be back for the IRB World Cup in 2011.’
He went on to explain the SABC’s Rugby World Cup slogan, “It’s Our Game’. “Our biggest aim with the campaign is to attract non-traditional rugby audiences, fulfilling our mandate of nation-building. The phrase will bind the hearts and actions of the nation.’
Kganyago mentioned that the SABC hadn’t secured all-incusive rights to the tournament, which are held by SuperSport, but went on to say: “We have a good relationship with SuperSport and have worked out an agreement wherein we will broadcast 75% of the matches, including all the Springbok games. Twenty-eight games will be broadcast live. SABC2 will be our official TV platform for the Rugby World Cup Channel and the launch pad for the on-air Rugby World Cup campaign. SABC1 and SABC3 will be supporting channels, showing alternative rugby viewing rugby documentaries and profiles on countries and players. There will also be extensive radio coverage of the World Cup [see schedule below].’
A one-hour build-up will proceed all the Springbok matches, with a half- hour build-up for other matches.
Music video
The SABC’s Rugby World Cup music video, It’s Our Game, was created and performed by Oskido of Kalawa Records. It features Pierre van Pletzen (better known as Oubaas in 7de Laan), kwaito star, Professor, and South Africa’s controversial socialite Khanyi Mbau. The video also features characters usually associated with South African soccer eg. Alfred “Magistrate’ Baloyi, the inventor of the Makarapa headgear, which is often worn by fans at local soccer games and which became known worldwide along with the vuvuzela during last year’s Fifa World Cup.
The Bok Jive, a dance created to accompany the song was choreographed by Cassius Tlhotlhalemaje, who also created the Diksi Dance for the Fifa World Cup in 2010.
The media was also shown visuals of the high-tech studio which will be used by presenters during match broadcasts. It has three main screens and will also be used for the round-up programme each day at 10pm.
During the Q&A section of the presentation, Kganyago was asked why there was no South African Rugby Union (SARU) representation at the launch, to which he replied: “We invited SARU to the event but no-one came. But that is not important because this is SABC’s launch – we are owning it and taking it forward’.
He was also asked why a controversial figure like Khanyi Mbau, who has had bad press, was attached to the campaign video. Kganyago replied: “Oskido and Khanyi work together and it is not for us to judge what people think of her. This is our game, so whether you are rich, poor, young, old, it is your game’.
Schedule
SABC’s television schedule for the IRB World Cup will be as follows:
• 75% of the games will be televised on SABC channels, of which 28 games will be live and seven games would be delayed broadcasts
• Of the quarter final games, two will be live and one, delayed broadcast
• Of the semi-final games, one will be live and one will be delayed
In total, 35 games will be televised out of 48 by SABC.
The presenters for television broadcasts will be as follows, with more still to be confirmed:
Anchors:
• Eben Jansen – with more than 15 years experience, Jansen has hosted a plethora of live sports broadcasts and shows, who has set himself apart as a versatile and informed anchor with a real passion for sport
•David O’ Sullivan – Studied journalism at Rhodes University and has worked as the SA correspondent for various international radio stations. He is also a member of the SABC Sport team anchoring for various major sporting events and is also a judge on the panel for the 2011 SA Sports Awards
• Tony Ndoro – A talented anchor who is also a popular corporate MC and one of SA’s most familiar commercial voice artistes. He presented the live show All Out Rugby, but also has experience with other sporting codes.
Analysts:
• Chester Williams – First black post apartheid Springbok and part of the winning World Cup team in 1995
•Allister Coetzee – Jake White’s assistant coach to the winning World Cup 2007 squad, who also guided the Stormers and Western Province to Super 14 and Currie Cup finals last year
• Kaya Malotana – First black African to play for the Springboks at the 1999 World Cup and assistant coach for Springbok women’s team at last year’s World Cup
• Elton Jantjies – Selected for Springboks at the end of 2010’s Grand Slam tour. He didn’t feature in a test, but is one of the rising stars and is strongly touted as a future springbok flyhalf
• Hennie Le Roux – A Pivotal member of the 1995 Springbok World Cup winning team, who also played for Transvaal, who are now the Golden Lions winning the Currie Cup in 1993 and 1994. In his career, he played 252 matches and scored 92 tries
• John Plumtree – New-Zealand born coach of the Sharks Super rugby and Currie Cup teams, leading them to two Currie Cup titles being in 2008 and 2010. He was a member of the first Sharks team to win a Currie Cup in 1990 and also part of the winning team in 1996 as a player. He also represented the SA Sevens team in 1994
•Os du Randt – Two time World Cup winner and former Springbok scrum coach
• John Mitchell – Former All Black coach at 1999 World Cup and former All Black player
• Lawrence Sephaka – A former Springbok with 24 caps for his country and a member of the 2003 Springbok World Cup squad
• Zola Yeye – A speedy wing in his heyday when playing for the famous Spring Rose rugby club in Port Elizabeth and represented South African Rugby Union and Kwazakhele Rugby Union. He was also the Springboks’ team manager at the 2007 World Cup
•Tim Dlulane – Played one test for the boks in 2004, but his career was cut short by a neck injury. He played Super 14 and Currie Cup rugby for the Bulls and Pumas and was a member of the Universaity of Pretoria team that won the national club championships under guidance of Dick Muir
• Pieter Hendricks – A rugby legend and was a member of the World Cup winning Springbok squad of 1995
SABC’s live radio schedule for the IRB World Cup will be as follows, with the two semi-finals, 3rd/4th place play-off and final being broadcast live on all the mentioned SABC radio channels:
• Thobela FM: 27 games with all four quarter finals
• Phalaphala FM: 28 games with all four quarter finals
• Motsweding FM: 27 games with all four quarter finals
• Ligwalagwala FM: 25 games with two quarter finals
• Ikwekwezi FM: 32 games with all four quarter finals
• Ukhozi FM: 14 games with two quarter finals
• Radio 2000: All 48 games
• RSG: 21 games with all four quarter finals
• SAfm: All 48 games. SAFM, being a news channel will do the updates
• Tru FM: 38 games with all four quarter finals.
