"My father supported the All Blacks. I suppose I was forced to support the All Blacks," said rugby fan Adin Surtie this week.
Later this week, Surtie and about a dozen friends will leave Upington for Cape Town where the teams clash on Saturday.
Supporting the All Blacks has been a lifelong experience for Surtie. He couldn't care less about the stigma attached to supporting South African rugby's greatest foe.
There has been lively debate about why black South Africans are drawn to the All Blacks. In Surtie's case, his father Harry's struggle credentials helped set his path but the general practitioner eventually made up his own mind.
Different strokes
South Africans' affinity for the All Blacks has been cultivated for different reasons.
"I just cannot bring myself to supporting the Springboks," Surtie insisted. "It's partly because of the emblem. Rugby opted to retain the emblem, while the other sports have changed theirs. I support South Africa in the other sports," he explained.
He added that his wife supports the Boks but that some supporters of the green and gold leave him cold. "I still get the feeling that people look down on me when I go to games. Why do those same people find it so difficult to support Bafana Bafana?"
Some devotees of visiting New Zealand teams have over the years proved an irritation to other supporters. They stood accused of being loutish, and at times just downright provocative. Surtie says he and his mates who are split down the middle in their support of the Springboks and the All Blacks, are only guilty of "general banter".
Either way, security at Newlands has been ramped up, not that Western Province rugby is expecting anything apocalyptic.
"We hosted three big New Zealand teams here this year in Super Rugby and it went by without incident," reminded Gavin Lewis, marketing and events manager at Western Province Rugby Football Union.
"There is no reason to expect anything else. Our stadium rules are clear. We espouse an ethos of respecting everyone around you. I know there is a lot of hype around this but that is the reality. We must look at the facts."
If, however, the need arises for law enforcement agencies to be deployed, Lewis assured they will be ready.
"With a test you ramp up everything in terms of security and emergency services. We'll have stringent security in place. About 14 weeks of planning has gone into this. Security will be incredibly tight. That will apply to everyone."
WP Rugby president Thelo Wakefield said the Boks will receive unconditional support despite their 57-0 drubbing in New Zealand. Whether they will be subjected to verbal abuse by All Blacks fans who go by the name "Cape Crusaders" is another matter.
"If there are elements who don't behave accordingly, they will be placed in the care of law enforcement agencies," said Wakefield.
"I trust, no, I believe, the All Blacks fans will give the Springboks a good reception. That is what we expect of them. They are not an element we are concerned about."..