Cut South Africa some slack and applaud Springboks

WHILE I applaud Matt Cooper’s sentiment (October 19) in suggesting that the Irish people still have some growing up to do when it comes to our attitude to England, it seems that, in his effort to give them a fair crack of the whip, he’s prepared to indulge in a little nation-bashing himself.

If Irish people should show some maturity in coming to terms with long-past troubles, perhaps he could cut South Africa a little slack less than 15 years into its democracy?

Associating the current Springbok side with those of the apartheid days is a low blow, as is the suggestion that because of that country’s recent past, we should all somehow shun them.