APA-Pretoria (South Africa) President Cyril Ramaphosa will be in the stands when South Africa’s defending rugby world champions, the Springboks, clash with the All Blacks from New Zealand in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final in Paris on Saturday night.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa would be cheering the Springboks at the Stade de France in the French capital.
“The president will…travel to Paris to support the Springboks in their quest to retain the Rugby World Cup Webb Ellis trophy,” Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Thursday.
Ramaphosa is expected to visit the squad at their hotel ahead of the match to “deliver words of encouragement on behalf of the nation before they take to the field”.
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi said the team was aware of the importance of the match for the entire nation
“I don’t think it will happen in our lifetimes again, that we have another game like this. And we are excited.”
This is the second time in four years that the Springboks have made it to the finals of the Rugby World Cup. The South African side won the 2019 Rugby World Cup after beating England.
The Springboks and New Zealand’s All Blacks have both won the Webb Ellis trophy thrice each.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa’s presence in the European country will be “an opportunity for a brief bilateral interaction” with host French President Emmanuel Macron, Magwenya said.
NM/jn/APA