APA-Pretoria (South Africa) President Cyril Ramaphosa has praised South Africa’s rugby side for booking a semi-final spot following a hard-fought victory against hosts France in a Rugby World Cup tie held in Paris on Sunday night.
The Springboks secured a narrow 29-28 victory against a highly fancied French side that had the benefit of a vociferous home crowd behind them.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa offers his warm and proud congratulations, and those of the nation, to the Springboks on their 29-28 Rugby World Cup 2023 quarter-final victory over France on Sunday,” presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said in a statement.
He said Ramaphosa believed that unity was behind the team’s victory.
“Out of the 20 nations in the World Cup, the Springboks delighted and inspired us, whether they were on the field, on the bench or in the coaches’ box,” he said.
The victory means the reigning world champions would clash with England in a semi-final encounter on October 21.
In November 2019, the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup final in Japan by defeating England.
NM/jn/APA