We’re a week away from the highly-anticipated test match between Ireland and South Africa, and the Irish have sent Springbok fans a stern warning not to make their 30-year-old struggle song – The Cranberries’s Zombie – about coach Rassie Erasmus.
This comes amid the Irish national team arriving in South Africa ahead of preparation for the opening Castle Lager Incoming Series match.
SA is set to play against one of their biggest rivals in two test matches on 6 and 13 July in Pretoria and Durban, respectively.
IRISH WARN SPRINGBOKS ABOUT SINGING THIS SONG
On social media, Ireland and Springbok supporters have been trash-talking each other in the lead-up to their two upcoming test matches next month.
However, the Irish have sent their arch-rivals a stern warning not to disrespect their country when it comes to their popular struggle song, Zombie by The Cranberries.
Rugby TikToker The Leincester Guy posted: “It’s a song about two kids that were killed in a bombing. Don’t make it about your coach”.
Other Ireland rugby fans agreed. Here’s what others had to say
@kpak20: “You are abusing an emotive Irish song. Is there a song about Mandela that we Irish should abuse?”
@felixsavage12: “Typical, South Africa. Disrespectful”
AN ODE TO RASSIE OR RIBBING THEIR RIVALS?
Earlier this month, the Irish song – which became a Rugby World Cup favourite for Springbok fans – was played during Leinster’s clash with the Blue Bulls at Loftus.
The crowd changed the chorus lyrics to “He’s in your head, He’s in your head. Rassie, Rassie, Rassie”.
Supersport tweeted from their X account: “Bulls fans give us a preview of what’s to come when Ireland are in Pretoria in a couple of weeks.”
The “remix” – honouring the SA Rugby boss, who has signed on to coach the Springboks until 2027 – was played during the Rugby World Cup when South Africa played against Ireland. The Springboks also sang it in their changing room following their World Cup victory.
The song was again played at the Sharks vs Bulls clash in December, which also took place at Loftus.
Fans also sang the song at OR Tambo International while awaiting Rassie’s return from the Rugby World Cup last year.
In March, the Irish song was played during the URC’s Bulls vs Stormers game, again at Loftus.
Images via X:
@ssrugby
THE CRANBERRIES’ ‘ZOMBIE’: WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE?
According to the Irish News, The Cranberries’ lead singer, Dolores O’Riordan, wrote Zombie as an anti-terrorism and anti-IRA (Irish Republic Army) song.
Released in 1994, it came months after a bombing in the town of Warrington killed two young children and injured 54 others during The Troubles conflict in Northern Ireland.
O’Riordan told Songwriting Magazine of the song: “There were a lot of bombs going off in London. I remember this one time a child was killed when a bomb was put in a rubbish bin. That’s why there’s that line in the song, ‘A child is slowly taken.’
“We were on a tour bus, and I was near the location where it happened, so it really struck me hard – I was quite young, but I remember being devastated about the innocent children being pulled into that kind of thing. So I suppose that’s why I was saying, ‘It’s not me’ – that even though I’m Irish, it wasn’t me, I didn’t do it.
“Because being Irish, it was quite hard, especially in the UK when there was so much tension.”
