A SHARED HISTORY | South Africa and Ireland | RIVALS...with RESPECT 

What really stands out in Tim's videos is the positivity he spreads about rugby! he doesn't buy into all the fake narratives spread by mainstream media, he doesn't use clickbait and he is fair and honest towards all teams and countries with very little preconceived notions. There is no better representation of this than your comments section. Comments from all nationalities that are constructive and positive. Some banter here and there of course, but very little trolling/nastiness. Your community is a reflection of your channel Tim. As you would say, "Top man"! Lets go Bokke!

Thanks for pointing out the history. It's something we seem to have forgotten with all the shit talking recently. But the Irish and South Africans actually have a lot in common. National pride can cause us to butt heads at times but it's also a similarity that can't be ignored. 🇮🇪🇿🇦

Race or Religion does not matter - Stronger Together is what matters most Agreed Tim - Rivals with Respect

Id love to watch the Springboks live one day. Much respect from USA!

Agree. South Africans and Irish have so much in common. As a Saffa my Dad told us as kids( we were from Limerick) how similar the two groups were. We grew up loving everything about Ireland growing up as Saffas. Used to sing Irish songs in car as little kids travelling from town to town. The name of my younger brother "Danny Boy" was his favourite. Sang it with such gusto. 74 years of age now but still remember Tony O'Reilly, Fergus Slattery, Willie John McBride, Ollie Campbell, Mike Gibson.looking forward to this epic match. Hope cards will have no influence on outcome. Trust pundits and supporters show respect to those from opposite camps. Bok supporter

There is no place like home, South Africa is a very special place with special people. We have our problems, but there is no place like home.

I really love your coverage and the way you speak of South African history and the Springboks. Non-biased, informative and providing positive image of the nation.

The best rugby commentator in the world, not afraid to talk about complex subjects, very impressive.

Another brilliant video Tim. Best of luck to our South African friends. 🇮🇪 🇿🇦 🏉

This channel is quickly becoming my favourite rugby channel. The way you present the information and your opinion is very fast and clear, and you also treat club rugby with the same importance as test rugby, which is necessary imo. Greetings from Portugal!

Seeing one of my favourite rugby RU-vidrs strolling across Loftus Versfeld. ❤🐂

Tim you amaze me with your knowledge of all the History you speak about . You are really a fantastic bloke and have the best Podcast.You are already a legend. Respect to both Countries Teams and Fans .Hope no cards and may the best team win 🇮🇪

Tim, you forgot to mention John Robbie who played for Ireland and the British Lions who came out to SA and stayed on to live in SA. He played in 2 Currie Cup and 2 Lion Cup Finals. He sat on the bech for the Springboks 4 times and played for them in the internal tour in 1985.

You're having a dream South African tour, Tim. No better man for it 🙌 Salads don't win scrums 😊 Bokke 22 Ire 16 BokBefok

Loftus Versfeld and Croke Park, very similar and dripping in history. I think the South Africans and Irish people have a lot more in common than separates them. Great pod Tim, thank you 🇮🇪☘💚

Our beautiful...happy...singing dancing nation...thank you Tim for featuring our rainbow nation on your channel and offcourse...our heroes...the Springboks

I’m a Staffa living in England and tell you what I’m enjoying that you’ve actually made the effort to go down to South Africa👌🏾 So thank you and welcome to South Africa and glad you’re enjoying it pal👌🏾✌️

You're literally glowing mate 😂. Which I really love! Keep up the good work. Go Bokke! 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

That final clip made me tear up a bit... miss my home, am nostalgic every day!

This man deserves ALL the subsribers

Pure class Tim, as always 🇿🇦

I watch every video you post, I miss my country 😢, brings tears to my eyes when i see video's like this. I now reside in your country. Thank you for what you do the Springboks is our pride they represent the goals that the great Mandela had they represent what South Africa means to South Africans.❤❤

Awe Tim, how awesome! So glad for you to have this experience and sharing some beauriful Irish and South Aftican history! May tomorrow's rugby be action packed and full of adventure! Humanity for the win as in fact we all are one huge beautiful family worldwide. Have a wonderful time Tim' 🎉🎉🎉❤❤

You taught more about Englands History than they do in English schools.

Class video Tim, rugby is all about respect, integrity and ambition and understanding what brings us together is a massive part of that. Classy stuff from yourself and long may it last!

Love your genuine excitement for potentially great matches. Cmon Ireland.

Gosh I miss my country 😢. GO BOKKE!

This is now my favorite podcast i try not to miss an episode.

Awesome Tim! Loftus is my favourite stadium... Definitely a historic place to be. Go Bokke!! 💪🇿🇦🏉

Tim, your passion for the game is so amazing. Such a great ambassador for our beloved sport. Best rugby channel on RU-vid by far. From a Saffa in UK

manatee!!!!! you look supremely chaffed! Like a Cheshire Cat finding a BIG bowl of fresh milk!! Good for you! Enjoy! I"m loving seeing you in SA

2:11 Sacha in the background with the Ball skills 🔥💯

Tim thank you for taking the time to look into the history of both of these teams countries and for understanding what makes us tick from a rugby standpoint point. Total respect to you. Your videos have been fantastic and really give us an insight into how passionate rugby players and supporters are. As an Irish person it’s great to see. Thank you 🇮🇪☘️

Let’s go Bokke 🎉🎉🎉 And love your videos

Great content and observations. Importance of rugby as a unifying force in Ireland is massive.

Awesome coverage Tim. Can’t wait to be there tomorrow 😎🙌🏾 Feeling grateful 🙏🏽

In the Northern Cape there are still Irish surnames floating around from the Boer War days, when the Irish joined the Boers. O'Kennedy and Kearny being prominent surnames there still. To be fair... so is Turner and Locke!

Great video, nice to highlight the way rugby can bring people together. In Ireland that's one of the reasons so many people like the combined north-south national team and I'm sure analogous sentiments in SA.

Magic stuff!! Thank you Eggchaser!!

This is gonna be epic!! Taking my son with me tomorrow. Wonder if they will have a decibel reader like at the T20 world cup. Been at a full Loftus in a curry cup final few years ago and the noise when Brain Habana dashed down the line scoring a fantastic try felt like I was leaning into a roaring V8 Engen, the vibration ripping through you was insane. Lets do that again.... tomorrow!!!!

As I understand it, the tradition of away teams wearing their first kit stems from touring sides not being able to bring a full second kit on long tours so when they'd rock up and play a team with a similar kit it was always far easier for the home team to wear their easily available change kit. That carried on through the professional era.

Never thought about our common histories like that before!! Thank you for pointing it out. We appreciate your channel

Can't wait for this one. Heading round to my mate's house tomorrow (he's got the subscription!). Here in leafy Cheshire, there'll be one lad from Fermanagh and me from East Belfast, cheering on the boys in green. The added spice is that my Fermanagh mate married a lovely lady from South Africa last year... so it should be good craic! But seriously, Tim, you have outdone yourself with this video. Rather than just talk about the match-ups of the players, as every other channel will do, you've focused on the history and what it means to each country. You have succeeded in emphasising the pride that will be brought to the pitch by BOTH teams. I've just got back from a cruise where our waiter for a couple of nights in the restaurant was a black South African. He was just doing his job, very effectively and affably, but when I engaged him in conversation and banter about the match, he just lit up... It's fantastic to see how rugby in SA has transcended the race divide. Back in the day, no black players. Now, the whole nation is behind them. A bit like the history you described in Ireland - it's had its ups and downs, but it's now 100% North and South, never mind the border, we're in this together. Bring it on. Thanks for your coverage, you're still setting the standard. For Ulster and for Ireland, for Paddy Mayne and Willie John, let's get stuck into them!

Great content Tim, love your work. GO BOKKE!!

I’m Irish so biased but for me one of your best clips. Thankyou.

I really hope to bump into you oneday Tim, it's unfortunate I'm out the city for the moment, one love and great vid❤

Once again thank you. Grand episode. That's why we love rugby.

The Dutch never colonised South Africa. The Lords 17, built a fort, and employed people to farm the land, so that they could resupply their ships during the spice trade to the East. Thus, enter the German/Prussion mercenaries, to man the Fort( CT Castle).They were followed by the French Hugenotes, persecuted for 5heir Protestant Faith, thus, the start of the Boer nation. The Brits invaded after the Napoleonic war, prompting the Great Trek North, and the birth of the Orange Free State and Transvaal, Boer Republics. Short version of History. Glad you are here, and hope you eat loads of braaied meat and Biltong.

As an English man reflecting on Irish history, putting effort in to reflect on British colonialism and imperialism in Ireland and SA, I appreciate you so much.

Fair play Tim!! Excellent perspective and comparison of the countries

Tim, you're a legend! Packed with knowledge of this beautiful country of ours. We cone way too far as a nation. We've seen and experienced the worse but, we shall never surrender! Different ethnic groups, languages, backgrounds, and I can go on and on. We just have one big thing in common, and that's to see this nation as one, peaceful and prospering in its endeavors. Much respect, sir!

Thanks Tim. As always the best channel of rugby on YT. Happy to see you are enjoying yourself.

Wish the boks would consider playing a game in the township I remember going to Orlando stadium to watch the blue bulls vs crusaders in 2010 that moment stayed with me since that day I was 9 I'll never forget that day

Gwijo squad in the house! Coy bokke🏈🇿🇦💪👊

Tomorrow's game is going to be epic! hope you get your interview with Deon Fourie.

From a South Africa perspective, my view is that Rugby has been quite a uniting force, from Mandela lifting the cup, to Rassie and Siya and the boys, the 'better together' narrative is definitely there.

Very classy, Tim - I love the respect you've shown both

Loftus! A far cry from posting content from airport departure lounges! You must be stoked.

Another welcome Tim video 👌

Positivity. That's what I love about this channel. Pure positivity!

As always Tim is informative and not biased.Excellent reporting

Awesome stuff! Unusual to see a behind the scenes at a captain’s practise. Love your show bud 👍🏻

Nice bit of skill in the background catching the ball with their knees at 2:10!

Well said Tim. Love the respect that each country has for each other, enhanced by SAs recent involvement in URC. I'm expecting a close match tomorrow but a Boks win by 5 (unfortunately) Respect!

You are doing well mate! Welcome to south Africa 🇿🇦 🙌 we appreciate you, mate ❤

Tim, you have long been a fantastic ambassador for rugby, but your insights into rugby history and indeed history that you share has elevated you to "Ambassador Tim". This video is essential viewing for Ireland and Bok fans alike - we share so much in common that is to be celebrated, it is a wonderful reminder of that and an antidote to some of the online negativity from a minority of supporters. The bookies rarely get it wrong - a fully-loaded Bok team full of RWC winners (and double RWC winners!) against Ireland without JGP and Keenan, at altitude! I was at the games in 2016 and in Test 2 at altitude, though Ireland had a decent lead, a rampant Ruan Combrinck off the bench smashed through Irish tacklers who were out on their feet, I fear what we'll see from the bomb squad today. Looking forward to your "hot-takes" review of this one, especially should Ireland upset the odds!

We, Ireland stood against apartheid and were one of the first european countries to do so, It's why Nelson got involved with the Good Friday agreement. We love the Boks but they have an issue with us in rugby. I hope it is a great game and best team wins. Éire AbÚ... Lets go Ireland

The passion for the game puts people I say people other pundits (J Kirwan😊)around the world ,he puts them to shame. Great ambassador for Rugby Tim keep it up.

well done for trying the historical backgrounds for both nations

Thanks for this, Tim. This was nice calm stop along this clown rodeo of a wind up to this game 🇿🇦❤️🇮🇪

im so FFFFFFKNNN HAPPY I GOT TICKETS TO SEE BOTH NZ GAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my highlight of 2024!

These days I Like your videos before I even start watching :) You've created a very special rugby channel - it's become my go-to for intelligent, deep analysis and just good old sporting respect, banter and down-to-earth straight talk. Hope you continue to enjoy your stay here! I've been a green-blooded lover (and player) of this game since I was about 8 years old, way back in the day of the 1974 Lions tour. And I still sometimes think you know SA rugby better than I do, ha ha! Kudos!

Enjoy Tim! I have a shuttle to Loftus Versfeld tomorrow with 16 people. Enjoy your stay in South Africa.

Unique coverage and a great parallel you drew today, well done Tim. One more - the Irish fought with South Africa against the British in the Anglo-Boer war.

I love your coverage and your passion for rugby...wish u all the best with the channel

Excellent history lesson Tim and a great build up to the main event tomorrow

Tim, is geeking out there on the Rugby pitch, lol so funny to watch.

Well done Tim I really enjoyed this one with the history lesson. Some of which I all ready new especially the stuff about paddy what a man he was 😊

Loving every video form your SA trip. Highlight of the day!!! Oh, and first comment btw😂😂

I've always described ireland as the South Africa of Europe. Just because of the vibe and the people. Your video has such interesting insights of the parallels between the countries. Great work Tim. Welcome to SA!

Loftus is very special ❤ thanks for the great Chanel 👍

Very moving. Never considered any similarities between the two nations before this.

You really have an amazing way with words Tim.

Great video as always. Glad you enjoying your trip so far. I am sure you will love the test match at Loftus tomorrow. You should come visit us on a more regular basis. Each city is very unique and different. Durban very different from Pretoria and Cape Town very different etc. Even Jhb just down the road from Pretoria is very different. Have a great day tomorrow its going to be a tough and hard match I think. Also enjoy the Affies Maritzburg clash.....my alma mater should be too strong for Maritzburg but you never know. Atmosphere should be great there too.

Just another spectacular post, Tim. Beautiful!

Thank you so much for the respect you shown for us and as well for the Irish

Your passion and knowledge makes your presentation really great. Looking forward to you experiencing Durban.

The build up to the match is fantastic. Love that Supersport rugby channel screened Chasing the Sun 2 this morning!

Amazing rugby channel, one of the best.

Man! I love your channel! Super informative, thanks for this!!❤

Ireland wins then South Africa are still World Cup winners. If South Africa wins then it’s Ireland missing players and being at altitude. Whatever the outcome is it’s just a pleasure to see this series happen. 🏉

This is actually a very eye opening video. A must watch imo

That talk by Michael is absolutely power. Second your recommendation, Tim. Glad you got to see it.

Great video! Learnt a lot about the Irish history. Let’s go Bokke!

There was a number of Irish who fought on tge side of the Boere against the Brits in 1899. Not far from the hotel in Roodepoort there is the war memorial to Irish people who fought against the British.

When I was in Belfast recently, we went to do the Derry tour and the reverence to Mandela and also to SA's truth and reconciliation commission was palpable. I think I ended up answering more questions than the fabulous tour guide.

I really enjoy your sheer love for the game, like so many of us here in South Africa. Love your content, enjoy your stay in our beautiful country.

Slight correction: 7:15 the Springboks do indeed wear the protea. The springbok was moved to the right breast to accommodate the protea.

Tim, please try to get a copy of The Covenant by James A Michener, published in 1980. I often recommend it to overseas friends as nothing else so thoroughly and clearly explains South African history, warts and all.

Ah Tim the Egg man. I'm always surprised when your 10 min videos are over so quickly as I'm engaged all the way through. I can barely manage to concentrate on more than 5 mins of most review video's but yours are a pleasure as they focus on facts not hyperbole