Springbok fans rejoice after epic final

FOR every South African this weekend, there was just pure delirium mixed with tears of joy as the Springboks etched their name into the history books at the Rugby World Cup.

Their Herculean efforts in an enthralling, anxiety-laced final saw the Boks clinch a record fourth Rugby World Cup by a single point, 12–11.

Incredibly, out of the eight World Cups the Springboks have competed in, they have won half of the tournaments with triumphs in 1995, 2007, 2019 and 2023.

It may have been the narrowest of margins to win a World Cup, but fans in South Africa were thrilled with the result.

Also read: Fans show up for Springboks in Durban North

Northglen News caught up with local residents and Virginia Preparatory staff members, Angela Walter, Taariq Booley and Sinelizwi Mtshikwa, who gave their thoughts on the Springboks’ triumph.

For Angela, a die-hard sports fan who is often seen at the Hollywoodbets Kingsmead and Kings Park stadiums dressed up, the victory was made sweeter by the fans around her.

“To be around people jumping up and down and just the sheer joy of victory was awesome. Throughout the tournament, I’ve watched the World Cup with fellow South Africans, and the vibe has been phenomenal. One of my favourite parts of watching with people is singing the national anthem and saying ‘in South Africa our land’ which really gets me amped.

“On the final, I felt the Bokke deserved to win. They really put in the hard yard, and I’m so proud of them. I think they acknowledged they were not playing just for themselves, but for the millions watching and for the people in their lives. They put their heart and soul into this World Cup. Even if we would have lost, I would still have been proud of the boys,” she said.

As a fellow educator, Taariq could not agree more with Angela.

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“I’ve been lucky enough to have watched every game of the Springbok campaign. My favourite memory was seeing the Springboks and Proteas both beat England in two different World Cups on the same day. This team are truly history-makers. No one has won the trophy four times, so this is phenomenal. I think we probably had one of the toughest quarter-finals ever against France. We then had to come from behind to beat England in a game where it looked like we would lose. Then we came up against the form side of the tournament, the All Blacks, and won. I’m so proud, and I know my fellow staff members and the learners are over the moon about the result,” he said.

For Sinelizwi, the performances of the Springboks and the hype around the Rugby World Cup have been a deciding factor in her following rugby.

“To be honest, I don’t really watch rugby, but this World Cup has exposed me to the passion shown by the fans and how the Springboks matter to all of us. I think the win on Saturday has really united us as a nation – they made us proud even through the anxiety and the stress. I’m now more motivated to watch the Springbok games, and I’ve learned more about the game,” she said.

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