A while back I wrote a column saying that we need more entertainers in South African sport.
I compared our sport to WWE where they have gimmicks that get people going.
In the professional era, the sport has simply become too serious - it’s like the fun factor has been taken out of it.
And then Schalk Brits came out of retirement at the end of last year for one last show on the rugby field.
In a recent interview, Brits said: “For me, it is about just having fun.
“People always said I must prove to Jake [White] why I must be picked, but for me it has never been about that.
“For me it is always about work ethic.
“If you get out there, work hard, enjoy it and have the physicality, I love the physical aspect, then it is great.”
BULL SEES RED: Schalk was sent off for a punch-up with Akker. Photo: Supplied.
And things certainly got physical between Brits and opposite number Akker van der Merwe in the Bulls’ match against the Sharks at Kings Park on Saturday and both were sent off for fisticuffs.
It can happen in any environment - you disagree with colleagues, some things get said, it gets heated, but that’s where you leave it.
Besides, I don’t think that, at the age of 37, Brits was motivated to get involved in the scuffle for a spot in the Springbok team.
He has nothing to prove.
HUMBLE: Brits among Sharks fans. Photo: Supplied.
Once it’s said and done, it’s time to forgive - like Brits and Van der Merwe did when they shared a beer together in the locker room.
What was most impressive about Brits was what he did when he was sent off.
He didn’t go down the tunnel and throw around things while swearing.
We see that far too often in the “glamour” world of European football.
No, Schalk went to go sit in the stands among Sharks supporters.
What great humility.
Here is a guy who knows he is gifted enough to play the game in front of millions of people who would have loved to play professionally, yet he is as humble as they come.
The new generation of rugby players can learn a lot from Brits’s off-field behaviour.
LET BYGONES BE BEER-GONES: Akker and Brits after a fight. Photo: Instagram.
As a journalist, I haven’t seen many professional players who smile quite as much as he does.
Every interview he gives is open and honest.
He has nothing to hide and it shows.
That’s the reason why I believe he has come back to South Africa after retiring.
He is here to change the face of the game - whether he knows it or not.
After all, when you first pick up a rugby ball, it’s because you want to have fun and you end up enjoying the sport, so why has that changed?
Whatever the environment, I think we can all take a leaf out of Schalk Brits’ book.