Trevor Manuel, who once openly supported the All Blacks at a test match against the Springboks at Newlands, has come out in firm support for the Springboks ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

Manuel, the Minister in the Presidency, sported a black shirt with a Springbok emblem as he bade Springbok team farewell for New Zealand this week.

Manuel had the Boks fill in their Census 2011 forms as they will be away during the population count on October 9, when the quarter-finals of the rugby showpiece in New Zealand will be played.

“From the side of Statistics South Africa this is a way of saying that we are very confident that you are going to be in New Zealand preparing for the semifinal on the ninth,” said Manuel.

The players responded humorously as they completed their forms, pretending they needed to look up their real names in their ID books. How many fans knew that Butch James's real names are Andrew David, or that  Chiliboy Ralepelle's is Mahlatse.