I had a quiet Saturday betting wise but the Boks were in action against Argentina that evening and I arranged a live pre-game betting preview on YouTube where two long standing Goodforthegame punters, Couch Critic and Hanrick Swart joined me for a rugby build-up with a difference.

If you have not subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet search for Goodforthegame and click subscribe.  Had you watched that preview you would have noticed that I was dressed in a tuxedo, something I have not worn in years and the reason for this was that straight after the game I was heading to my daughter’s Debs Ball. 

This meant that I would be missing most if not all of the rugby but I could not resist getting involved and with conditions good I backed the Springboks to score 34 points or more.  Driving to the venue I was forced to listen to the Radio 2000 commentary which while animated and entertaining at times very seldom lets you know what is actually happening on the field and can be best summed up by the commentary delivered for the Pollard penalty which went something along the lines of “its got the distance, its got the direction, it misses”.  

On arrival at the venue I searched for a bar with a TV to watch the rugby while the girls were having photos but drew a blank on that front.  Taking my life into my own hands but with the support of some of the other dads I pulled out my cellphone and started live streaming the game, leaning it up against the champagne glass on the table.  Other dads gathered round as we watched the last 20 minutes and when the Boks scored under the posts it delivered my bet.  I momentarily forgot where I was and screamed, “I have won, I have won” at the top of my voice.

As the crowd swung back to see what the commotion was about and who could be so rude, I stepped back as did most of the other dads leaving just one dad at the table watching the phone.  He looked up to see everyone staring at him and shaking their heads disapprovingly that a father could not only watch the rugby at his daughter’s big night but would scream out during the game.  I too shook my head in disappointment, there is always that one Dad.

Twitter: @BrentGraham

Twitter: @BrentGraham

 
This article was written for the CitiGaming supplement of the Citizen Newspaper and was published on the 23rd August 2018.

Brent Graham is a blogger on www.goodforthegame.co.za and sends a  free weekly e-mail list just CLICK HERE to register