Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to attend the Rugby World Cup final in Paris between the Springboks and the All Blacks, with the hope of lifting the Webb Ellis trophy.
The event marks a historic opportunity for South Africa to secure a fourth Rugby World Cup title.
“The President will… travel to Paris to support the Springboks in their quest on Saturday, the 28th of October, to return the Rugby World Cup Webb Ellis trophy. The President is really looking forward to be invited onto the pitch for a second time by captain Siya Kolisi to help lift the cup for the world champions.
“This will be the first time any country will hold four Rugby World Cup titles. The President wishes the Springboks and the All Blacks well for this showcase which we hope will be a memorable event for those who will be in the stadium as well as the global media audience that will be following the game,” presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be in the crowd when the #Springboks take on New Zealand #AllBlacks , in the #RWCFinal on Saturday evening https://t.co/JusefKVi7I pic.twitter.com/7tQagUso0C
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) October 26, 2023
Ramaphosa also plans to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and visit the national team to offer words of encouragement.
“The President will also take the opportunity to visit the squad at their hotel to deliver words of encouragement on behalf of the nation,” Magwenya said.
Captain Siya Kolisi stressed the significance of the match for the entire nation, acknowledging the impact the game has on the mood of over 62 million South Africans and highlighting the team’s role as representatives of the people.
“It’s probably the biggest game of my life. I don’t think it will happen in our lifetimes again that we have another game like this, and we are excited. We know how good [the All Blacks] are.
“What we do on Saturday can control the mood of over 62 million South Africans. People have been sending messages saying when we play it is the only time they are happy, and as a team we represent all kinds of people,” Kolisi said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
