COSAFA boss Chiyangwa backs Boks
COSAFA president Philip Chiyangwa says the regional football grouping is fully behind the South African Springboks when they take on England in the battle for the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan, today.
The match starts at 11am Zimbabwean time.
While none of the Southern African teams have won either the cricket or football World Cups, the Boks have been the leading lights with two victories in the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and 2007.
Chiyangwa yesterday said the battle in Yokohama was not for the Boks alone, but for the entire region.
“The Council of Southern African Football Associations sends sincere well wishes to the Springboks ahead of their Rugby World Cup final against England in Yokohama tomorrow,’’ he said in a statement.
“The Boks, led by their inspirational captain Siya Kolisi, are magnificent ambassadors for not only South Africa, but the African continent as a whole and especially our region.
“The team, with the likes of Kolisi, Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanya Am, have become a symbol of hope for many people from disadvantaged backgrounds to show that through sport you can rise out of your circumstances.
“To lift a third World Cup title on Saturday would be a hugely symbolic moment for the people of South Africa, and for the many, many Boks fans in other parts of the COSAFA region.
“We wish our colleagues at SA Rugby all the best and know that whatever happens in the final, they have represented their nation with pride.
“We should also extend our congratulations to Namibia, who performed admirably at the tournament and were perhaps denied a chance for a first ever World Cup win after their clash with Canada was washed out.’’
The Boks have in their fold Zimbabwe-born prop, Tendai “Beast’’ Mtawarira.
Today’s final has caught the imagination of the world because it’s the first time a black South African, Kolisi, will lead the Springboks into the final.
In the past, blacks were not even allowed to play for the team because of apartheid.
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, says he will be in Yokohama to lift the Webb Ellis Cup just like how former Presidents, Nelson Mandela (1995), and Thabo Mbeki (2007) did.
He has also been taking some jabs at his British counterpart, Boris Johnson.
“I must say that I’m so proud of you and the team as well. You guys have done extremely well,” President Ramaphosa said in a video, he posted on Twitter, thanking Kolisi ahead of their semi-final game against Wales.
“I just wanted to wish you well for the semi-final and I know you will do extremely well. You’ve got 57 million South Africans standing behind you,” the President said.
“I’m coming to the final, I’m coming to lift the Webb Ellis trophy with you.
So make sure you book my ticket to the final.’’
And, after the Boks edged Wales 19-16 in the semi-final, the South African President also took to Twitter and threw a jab at Johnson.
‘’See you on Saturday BoJo@BorisJohnson when you will be watching Siya, the team and I hoist high Webb Ellis Cup? A STERLING showing once again by the @ Springboks.
“Our national teams have just been doing amazingly on the international stage.’’