It’s coming home: Bokke set for Kaapse World Cup trophy tour
VICTORY PARADE: Springboks on their RWC tour of SA in 2019
Die Kaap is weer Hollands this coming Friday, when the triumphant Springboks land in the Mother City to show off their Webb Ellis trophy.
The reigning world champions have confirmed the dates for their arrival home and victory tour.
Siya Kolisi and his merry men made history on Saturday night when they beat arch-rivals New Zealand in a nail-biting finale in Paris to win a record fourth Rugby World Cup title.
On their way to the title, the Boks beat host nation France in the quarter-finals, England in a tight semi-final, and eventually their fiercest foes, the All Blacks – all with one-point margins to claim their gold medals.
on Sunday, SA Rugby announced that the Boks will arrive back in South Africa when they land at OR Tambo International at 10.55am on Tuesday.
The tour, SA Rugby continued, will start in Pretoria, Johannesburg and Soweto on Thursday.
The #Springboks will be back in South Africa on Tuesday and will depart on a trophy tour on Thursday - more here: https://t.co/7J2HGkxNes 🏆#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/eewuLMtE3J
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 29, 2023
On Friday, they will move on to Cape Town, followed by Durban on Saturday, before concluding the tour in East London on Sunday.
Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban have been selected due to the size of their population, while East London has been chosen for its significance for the sport.
SA Rugby added that satellite tours to Bloemfontein and Gqeberha, and other smaller towns and cities, will take place in 2024.
This was the case after 2019, but tours in 2020 had to be cancelled due to Covid-19.
SA Rugby added that the routes for the tours will be posted on its website and social media channels soon.
Before the Boks departed France, they had the not-so small matter of the World Rugby Awards on Suday night.
An inspirational leader to South Africa.
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) October 29, 2023
A lifelong servant to the sport.
John Smit is the recipient of the 2023 @IntRugbyPlayers Special Merit Award#WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/GgxKyLoQf5
Eben Etzebeth was up for Player of the Year, while Manie Libbok had been nominated for Breakthrough Player of the Year.
After his last match in charge of the Boks, Jacques Nienaber – who will be taking up a post at Irish club Leinster – was nominated for Coach of the Year.
Watch this space for news of the route and times!