Springboks Receive Hero’s Welcome in Auckland Ahead of All Blacks Clash

• The Springboks were greeted by enthusiastic South African fans in Auckland ahead of their Rugby Championship clashes with the All Blacks
• Captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Willie le Roux, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, and Jasper Wiese are all set to return to the squad for the upcoming games
• Strong support from nearly 100,000 South African-born residents in New Zealand highlights the team’s international following

South Africa’s national rugby team, the Springboks, were greeted by enthusiastic supporters in Auckland, New Zealand, ahead of their upcoming Rugby Championship fixtures against the All Blacks.

Captain Siya Kolisi led the squad as they arrived in the city to a crowd of South African expatriates, many waving national flags and wearing Springbok merchandise.

Players stopped to sign autographs and pose for photographs, capturing the excitement of local fans.

Some netizens online reacted to the clip:

@rugby65day:

“This just goes to show, no matter where you live, once a Springbok supporter, always a Springbok supporter".

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@hupmuy657re:

“Auckland has some amazing Springbok fans, and my family is proud to be among them.”

Watch the clip below:

New Zealand is home to SA born residents

According to New Zealand’s 2023 census, almost 100,000 South African-born residents live in the country, making South Africa the fifth-largest source of immigrants after the United Kingdom, China, India, and Australia. Many of these expatriates work in skilled professions, including healthcare, IT, engineering, finance, and construction. The Springboks are scheduled to face the All Blacks in Auckland on 6 and 13 September. This visit highlights the strong support South African rugby enjoys overseas, particularly among expatriate communities in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus named a full-strength squad, despite missing the services of prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who failed a doping test ahead of the series.

Erasmus has retained faith in the players who featured in the opening Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches against Australia. The Boks lost 38-22 to the Wallabies in Ellis Park but bounced back with a 30-22 win in Cape Town on 23 August.

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Who is part of the squad?

Number 8 Jasper Wiese, currently serving a suspension following a red card against Italy, will be eligible for the Wellington clash.

Kolisi, sidelined due to injury for the Cape Town game, has been cleared to return, along with Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Willie le Roux, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Take a look at the video below:

What did Erasmus say about the upcoming All Blacks tour

Erasmus acknowledged the challenge of facing New Zealand but expressed confidence after the team’s recent victory over Australia.

“We learned valuable lessons from our first game against Australia, and we know exactly what we have to do to reach our standards and improve as the competition progresses, and I don’t think we need more motivation than that.”

Former Springboks captain questions Erasmus's tactics

Briefly News previously reported that former Springboks skipper Jean de Villiers has questioned Rassie Erasmus’s tactics, suggesting fans care more about results than attractive rugby.

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Speaking on the Off the Ball podcast, the ex-centre with 109 Test caps said the Springboks’ priority should be winning, not necessarily entertaining.

While acknowledging the importance of pleasing supporters, he argued that most South Africans would take victory “even if it’s boring and ugly at times.”

Source: Briefly News