| Dick King rides again ABSA'S withdrawal of sponsorship from the Natal Rugby Union presumably means we can go back to calling the stadium where tomorrow's Currie Cup final will be contested "King's Park" – the way it always was in our private conversations anyway. As rugby writer Mike Greenaway remarked in his column yesterday, professional rugby has to remember where it came from, as much as where it is going. Would it be too much to hope that, as we conclude a Currie Cup season that has positively sparkled, the NRU could consider reincorporating the word "Natal" into the side's name? That we should recover some of our virtue, the way Western Province have? To the argument that there is no longer a province known as "Natal" there are two responses. One is: So what? A rugby union doesn't have to correspond to any political/geographical entity. And, secondly, there never has been a province called "Western Province"; nor one called "Griqualand West" or "Boland". Where's the problem? Okay, they've been marketing the Sharks internationally but there'd be no harm in reincorporating "Natal" into the Currie Cup name. Rugby supporters identify fiercely with locality. And professional rugby has to remember where it came from. Bizarre linkages MIKE Greenaway said the only name he could think of that was less appealing and utterly soulless than "Absa Stadium" was a football side who called themselves "Jake's Autolot United". Yes, it's bizarre. Sponsors insist not just on associating themselves with a club or a venue or a competition but on having their name fully incorporated with it. They don't seem to realise how counter-productive this is, causing either irritation or hilarity. A few years ago, first division club Maritzburg Police accepted sponsorship. They were known as Rent-a-fence Maritzburg Police (the word "fence" being, of course, traditional argot in criminal circles for a receiver of stolen goods). The perils of the professional era. The real prize MEANWHILE, Durban is filling up with significant pockets of blue and white as Western Province supporters fly in. Hotel and bed and breakfast occupancies are soaring and the nightspots are gearing up for a bumper weekend. It's like having a late extension of the Football World Cup. It's all very welcome, of course. But the top prize is Stephan Terblanche getting his mitts on the Currie Cup. Let's not forget that. PAUL the psychic octopus who achieved world renown during the Football World Cup by correctly predicting the outcome of Germany's seven matches, then Spain beating the Netherlands in the final, has died in his aquarium at Oberhausen. He was two years old – about the end of an octopus lifespan. Nobody thought before this sad end of asking Paul to predict the outcome of tomorrow's Currie Cup final. But reader John Knottenbelt says his last words were: "Sh-a-a-a-a-rk!" Bumper sticker FORGET world peace. Visualise using your indicators.
MURPHY shows up at Mass and the priest almost faints. Murphy has never been to church in his life. After Mass the priest catche up with him and says: "Murphy, I am so glad ya decided to come to Mass. What made ya come?"
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Last word
At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.
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