WATCH | President Ramaphosa greets Springboks at Union Buildings

02 November 2023 - 09:16
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President Cyril Ramaphosa greets the world champion Springboks at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday morning.
President Cyril Ramaphosa greets the world champion Springboks at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday morning.
Image: Mahlatse Mphahlele

President Cyril Ramaphosa and almost the entire cabinet received the Springboks at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday.

The rugby world champions presented Ramaphosa with the Webb Ellis trophy they won after beating New Zealand 12-11 in a nerve-racking final in Paris on Saturday.

Ramaphosa was joined by a number of senior government ministers.

Captain Siya Kolisi‚ coach Jacques Nienaber and the rest of the Springbok players arrived at the Union Buildings at about 8.30am to present the trophy to Ramaphosa.

They were met with loud cheers from the crowd who braved the early morning chill in the capital as celebrations of their record-breaking fourth World Cup title continued.

Ramaphosa‚ who joined the team at Stade de France in Paris for the final‚ thanked the Boks for their gallant effort.

Minister of sport Zizi Kodwa said sport is a societal glue.

“When we sent them off, I handed over the national flag to captain Siya Kolisi and the team and told him the country is behind them. What we see now in the country is that sports binds us together,” Kodwa said.

After meeting Ramaphosa, the Springboks will start their trophy tour in Pretoria with their open-top bus departing from the Union Buildings for Loftus at about 9.30am before heading to the Pretoria CBD, and then on to Johannesburg, ending at FNB Stadium in Soweto.

The trophy tour continues in Cape Town on Friday, Durban on Saturday and East London on Sunday.

For the full schedule of the trophy tour in all four cities click here.


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