This weekend, our beloved national teams have once again proven that they were destined to compete in the global sports arena. Not only did we win once, but thrice on a night that sent a thunderous roar across the whole of South Africa.
Springboks
Starting our Saturday evening, the World Champion Springboks, who featured a blend of young and experienced players, set the foundation for a great night of entertainment when they faced Georgia at the Mbombela Stadium. It was here that the rapid Faf de Klerk and Vincent Koch both started their careers.
The game certainly delivered on entertainment as the mighty Boks proved their class, scoring 9 tries to beat the Georgians 55 – 10 with tries by Boan Venter, Edwill van der Merwe (x2), Canan Moodie, Kurt-lee Arendse, Damian Willemse, Handre Pollard, and the debutant Marnus van der Merwe (x2).
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Junior Springboks (Under-20s)
Following in the footsteps of their seniors, the Junior Springboks, affectionately known as the Baby Boks faced off against the old foe, the New Zealand All Blacks, in the final of the World U20 Championship.
The last time a South African won this age group tournament was in Cape Town in 2012. That team featured several players who would go on to become Rugby World Cup winners. Standout names included Handre Pollard, Steven Kitshoff, and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Stepping into Rovigo, Italy, captain Riley Nortan showcased an excellent display of physicality with a touch of flair, which guided them to a 23 – 15 victory and ended South Africa’s 13-year drought at the tournament.
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Banyana Banyana
Switching codes to football, Banyana Banyana showed composure to keep rivals Senegal away from the goal posts when they competed in the quarterfinals of the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
After ending level at 0-0 after the 90th minute, the two teams traded penalties and it was ultimately the South Africans who came out victorious, winning the game 4-1 and advancing through to the semi-finals where they will take on Nigeria on Tuesday.
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Also see: Execution mattered: Springboks and Bok U20 establish dominance on the weekend
