In a historic first, Salmaan Moerat has become the first Muslim to lead the Springboks.
The towering 26-year-old Stormers lock will lead out the Boks in their first-ever match against Portugal in Bloemfontein tomorrow.
Moerat takes the armband from Siya Kolisi, who in 2018 became the first black African to captain the national rugby team.
The news has been celebrated in Mzansi’s Muslim community and Moerat’s wife, Haanim, shared her joy in several posts on social media.
In one, she said: “Historic! All praise to the Most High.”
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus insists he had no hesitation in handing the leadership reins to the lock.
Rassie says: “He captained the SA Schools team, the Junior Springboks as well as Western Province and the Stormers. That speaks volumes about his quality as a player and a captain.”
Moerat was schooled at Paarl Boys’ High, and his home town is thrilled at the honour bestowed on one of their favourite sons.
The Paarl Muslim Jamaa said in a statement: “Salmaan will become the first Muslim to captain the Springboks. We would like to congratulate Salmaan and his family for this remarkable achievement. We wish you all the best.”
Last year, Moerat went on hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia after he suffered a serious chest muscle injury when playing for the Stormers.
He posted on Instagram at the time: “It has always been a longing of mine to complete an Umrah during the Holy Month of Ramadaan.
“And Insha-Allah that will shortly become a reality – all because of this injury.”
The 2m tall, 116kg forward first played for the Boks in 2022.
Sadly, his pectoral injury prevented him from featuring at last year’s World Cup. But he played in the recent series against Ireland.
Moerat’s latest honour is the pinnacle achievement of a famous Paarl rugby family.
In the apartheid era, his father Nazeem played for the non-racial South African Rugby Union (Saru) team.
Several of Nazeem’s siblings and cousins received Saru and provincial colours for Boland and Western Province.
Uncle Marwaan says: “We are all very excited. He is not the first that became a Springbok. In the family, about 15 of us got our Springbok colours.”
“Salmaan started as a young boy at the Al Azhar school in Paarl. Al Azhar must get the credit also.”
Salmaan Moerat's family has a proud history in South African rugby 🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦![CDATA[]]>🏉 pic.twitter.com/VRG54eVP6s
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) July 16, 2024