🏉 Stellenbosch Is About To Become Much Happier

South Africa is about to become a much happier country.

After months of surviving on a diet of club rugby highlights, transfer rumours and trying to remember what day the Stormers are playing, Springbok rugby is finally back.

You can already feel it in the air.

The green-and-gold jerseys that have been hanging quietly in cupboards all summer are about to make their return. Braais will be planned around kick-off times. Family events will mysteriously be scheduled for "after the game". And millions of South Africans will once again become part-time rugby coaches, selectors, referees and sports psychologists.

The transformation is remarkable.

A quiet accountant from Stellenbosch suddenly becomes an expert on scrum technique.

A retired uncle who hasn't run further than the fridge in ten years confidently explains how the winger should have backed himself on the outside.

Someone who spent the entire week forgetting their email password will spend Saturday afternoon analysing a lineout move in forensic detail.

Then there are the referees.

No group of people in world sport receives more detailed performance reviews than rugby referees from South African lounges. Within seconds of a decision being made, thousands of citizens armed only with a Castle Lager and a slightly blurry television angle somehow know more than the officials, the TMO and World Rugby combined.

Of course, this is all part of the magic.

Springbok rugby isn't just a sport. It's one of the few things that can get millions of South Africans shouting at the same television for exactly the same reason.

For eighty minutes, traffic, load shedding, politics, work stress and rising prices take a back seat.

It's just us, a rugby ball, and an unhealthy emotional attachment to the outcome.

By the final whistle, we'll either be planning how to defend the World Cup for the next twenty years or wondering whether the entire coaching staff should be replaced before Monday morning.

Either way, rugby season is back.

Nature is healing.

🍷 Wednesday, 17 June
Blaauwklippen Family Market Winemaker's Dinner

An intimate evening of wine and food at Blaauwklippen with winemaker Narina Cloete. Perfect if your idea of a good Wednesday night involves fewer emails and more wine.

🍽️ Thursday, 18 June
Father's Day Tasting Menu at Jordan

A special tasting menu ahead of Father's Day at Jordan Wine Estate. Ideal for dads who claim they "don't want anything" but mysteriously enjoy a five-course meal and good wine.

Several estates are running Father's Day events including:

If you've left your Father's Day planning until now, congratulations, you're in the same club as most of Stellenbosch.

With Father's Day around the corner, it's worth taking a moment to appreciate one of society's most fascinating creatures: the dad.

Dads have an incredible ability to fall asleep on the couch within 30 seconds of sitting down, yet somehow insist they were "just resting their eyes."

They can spend an entire Saturday fixing something that wasn't broken in the first place.

They refuse to stop for directions, own at least one item of clothing that should have been retired a decade ago, and firmly believe turning off lights is a legitimate financial strategy.

Yet somehow, they're often the quiet heroes of the family.

They're the ones checking that the doors are locked at night. The ones carrying sleeping children from the car to bed. The ones killing spiders that mysteriously become everyone's problem. The ones making sure the bikes work, the school bags are packed and the family somehow gets from one activity to the next without complete chaos.

Many dads aren't great at talking about their feelings.

Instead, they show love by building the shelf, braaing the wors, driving to sport practice, unclogging the drain, checking the tyre pressure and making sure everyone else is okay before thinking about themselves.

As children, we often think our dads have all the answers.

As adults, we realise they were figuring it out as they went along, just like the rest of us.

The difference is that they kept showing up.

Day after day.

Year after year.

No instruction manual. No guarantees. Just doing their best with what they had and hoping they got more right than wrong.

And perhaps that's what makes a great dad.

Not being perfect.

Not having all the answers.

Just being there.

So this Father's Day, whether you're celebrating your own dad, a father figure who stepped up when it mattered, or you're a dad yourself navigating the wonderful chaos of parenthood, here's to the men who show up.

The men who sacrifice quietly.

The men who make us feel safe.

The men who cheer the loudest from the sidelines.

And the men who somehow know exactly where the missing remote is.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads of Stellenbosch.

The world needs more of you than you probably realise.

In a recent edition we incorrectly identified the founders of Old School.

Old School was actually founded by Stellenbosch brothers Daneel and Stef Steinmann in 2019 after creating vintage-style rugby supporter apparel during the Rugby World Cup. Today the brand has grown from a university dorm-room idea into a national retail success story.

Thanks to the readers who pointed it out, and apologies to the Steinmann brothers for the mistake.

Every person you meet is carrying something.

A disappointment. A loss. A worry. A regret. A challenge they didn't ask for.

Life doesn't hand out hardship selectively. It visits all of us eventually.

The difference is not what happens to us. The difference is what we choose to do with it.

Some people allow their circumstances to define them. They become bitter, negative and convinced that life is happening to them.

Others decide that while they cannot control every event, they can control their response. They choose to keep moving. To keep trying. To keep believing that tomorrow can be better than today.

A positive mindset doesn't mean ignoring reality. It means refusing to let reality defeat you.

You can spend your life focusing on everything that is wrong, unfair and difficult. Or you can focus on what is still possible.

Both approaches require energy.

Only one moves you forward.

At some point, every one of us has to make a choice: become a victim of our circumstances or become the author of our future.

The choice is yours every morning when you wake up.

Wednesday ☀️
A beautiful winter's day is on the cards with plenty of sunshine and temperatures climbing to around 22°C. Expect a chilly start at about 12°C, so don't let the morning fool you. Perfect weather for a coffee in the sun and pretending winter is almost over.

Thursday 🌦️
Clouds start moving in and there's a chance of some light rain during the day. Temperatures will remain fairly mild with a high of around 18°C and a low of 13°C. Not quite enough rain to justify staying in bed all day, unfortunately.

Friday ☀️
The sunshine returns with a gorgeous winter's day expected. Temperatures could reach 23°C with clear skies and light winds. If you see someone wearing shorts, just remember this is Stellenbosch and winter rules are merely suggestions.

The Weekend Outlook 👀
After Thursday's brief reminder that it is in fact winter, Friday looks set to kick off a run of pleasant weather. Good news for braais, wine farms and anyone whose mood depends entirely on whether they can sit outside.

As always, thanks for reading. If you spot something in town worth knowing, reply and tell us. Half the best Stellenbosch stories begin that way.

See you around town,
Stellenbosch Brief

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