‘They went to war and won’

Thousands of people lined the streets of Johannesburg and Pretoria yesterday as the Springboks stopped at the Union Buildings with the Webb Ellis Cup they brought back from Japan after becoming Rugby World Cup champions for the third time.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi was met with a hero’s welcome, handing the trophy over to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who joked that he was glad it’s not election season.
“What I am pleased about is that we are not about to hold an election … if we were about to hold an election, I have no doubt that the entire rugby team would be in parliament and in Cabinet,” he said.

“Kolisi would have been the president and Erasmus would be the minister of finance.
“I’m glad I don’t have to compete with Siya Kolisi right now.”
The Boks began their trophy parade through the streets of Pretoria and Johannesburg yesterday and will move to other parts of the country in the coming days.

South African Rugby captain Siya Kolisi (2ndL) holds up the Web Ellis trophy as the World Cup winner team parades Vilakazi street in Soweto on an open top bus on November 7, 2019 in Soweto, South Africa. Picture: Phill Magakoe / AFP

Ramaphosa hailed the national rugby team as the first truly diverse one to win the tournament for South Africa.
“Everything that can contribute to nation-building [and] social cohesion must be utilised by all of us as South Africans,” the president said.
Ramaphosa noted there were “2.5 billion people watching the match for 80 minutes”, saying the team had put South Africa on the world map.
He said although both he and the team were nervous at times, the victory did not surprise him. “I saw victory written all over their eyes.

Springboks supporters make a mock scrum against a passing vehicle as they wait for the national rugby team to parade the Web Ellis Cup at the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto on November 7, 2019. Picture: Phill Magakoe / AFP

“When I was in Yokohama and went to meet them, they allowed me the rare moment to say a few words. Before I did … I asked some of them how they were feeling. Siya was feeling nervous.”

Ramaphosa admitted that he, too, was nervous at certain points during the game.
Ultimately, however, the team “went out to war and they won and brought the trophy back to South Africa where it belongs”.
South African Rugby Union president Mark Alexander said the World Cup victory was a tribute to the “spirit of Mandela”.

Eben Etzebeth holds up the Rugby World Cup trophy outside Tshwane House where they arrived to the celebrating supporters and to meet with the Tshwane Mayor, 7 November 2019, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelle

The Springboks stopped at the Union Buildings to kick off a five-day trophy parade, which will end in Cape Town on Monday.
Ramaphosa used his final words to hit out at those who were “dismissing” the victory. “You have helped unite the country and you have lifted the spirit of the country,” the president said.

“Thank you for having done so. You have consolidated the unity of the nation and we want to savour this moment.
“We thank you for being the catalyst to ensure we can continue to build our nation,” Ramaphosa said.

“Siya! Beast! Mapimpi! Faf!” These were some of the screams and cheers from the young and old as the Springbok tour bus drove through the streets of Soweto later on Thursday.

After an overwhelming ride from the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the Boks departed for the Soweto leg from Helpmekaar Kollege in Parktown, where pupils were beside themselves with joy and disbelief that they were seeing the world champions.

The bus made its way to the suburb through Braamfontein, over Nelson Mandela Bridge toward FNB Bank City in the Joburg CBD before driving toward Booysens, which is south of the city.

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi holds the Webb Ellis Cup high during their victory tour in Johannesburg’s CBD, 7 November 2019. Picture: Neil McCartney

With every corner it passed, the bus struggled to manoeuvre as crowds stood cheering and throwing their Bok jerseys and caps for autographs for the team players to sign.

Employees from car dealerships, restaurants and petrol stations alike stood on the side of the road as the world champions waved from the top deck of the bus.

Entering Soweto, the bus moved through Chris Hani Road to the Orlando Stadium, the pavements packed to the rafters as the champions drove through with the Webb Ellis Cup.
Among the crowd was Tebogo Motloung who said he had been waiting for the champs at the stadium as early as 09.00am with his two children.

Motloung said it was important for him to bring his kids to witness the historic event.
“I brought both my kids so that they can see how South Africa is proud of the Boks. They have definitely learned a lot from this experience,” he added.

Celebrity painter Lebani Sirenje, aka Rasta, with his painting of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi at Vilakazi Street in Soweto before the arrival of the Springbok’s Champions Tour’ with the Webb Ellis Cup in Johannesburg, 7 November 2019. Picture: Nigel Sibanda

After arriving at the stadium, the Boks were welcomed by outgoing Mayor Herman Mashaba.

Kolisi addressed the crowd and said he was overwhelmed to see lots of children in the streets cheering for them. He added the team was grateful for all the support, saying that going into the final, the team went in with one goal, to win for South Africa.

“We had one goal, to win this trophy and make people proud and we brought all our differences together to try achieve that.

“This is so beautiful seeing little kids running around. And we hope that this is going to be a new thing for our country, we are going to pull together and fight as one to make this country amazing again,” said Kolisi.

Mashaba briefly addressed the crowd outside the stadium, saying the Boks’ victory had shown that despite all the challenges faced by the country, a lot could be achieved.

“You have given us the hope that it is possible. We hope the achievement is going to inspire future generations that one day [South Africa] is going to be one of proudest nations in the world,” he said.

By 17.30pm, the world champions were en route to the airport to board their flights for the Durban leg of the tour.

– news@citizen.co.za

– Additional reporting by News24 Wire

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