Anticipation builds as the Boks arrive
Lowvelders have only nine days to wait before witnessing the Springboks take on the All Blacks.
The Springboks played three and won three test matches at Mbombela Stadium.
In 2013, they defeated Scotland 30-17. In 2014, they beat Wales 31-30. In 2016, South Africa played their first Rugby Championship match at Mbombela Stadium, defeating Argentina 30-23.
South Africa’s fourth test match at Mbombela Stadium will be played on Saturday August 6 against the All Blacks.
The Springboks have been in a training camp in Hazyview since Sunday.
On Wednesday, locals got their first glimpse of their heroes in action at an open practice at Numbi Primary School at 11:00.
A handful of members of the public and all the children of Numbi Primary got to see their role models train.
The pupils welcomed the team with loud cheers and cries of “Siya, Siya, Siya!”
The players warmed up, after which the coaches commenced with defence training.
The Springboks will travel to Mbombela tomorrow to continue preparations for the opening match of the 2022 Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
The Boks have been waiting a long time to get one over their archrivals at home.
Nearly eight years have passed since the Springboks last defeated the All Blacks in South Africa, at Ellis Park on October 5, 2014, with 27-25.
About 4 000 tickets are still available for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship match between the Springboks and the All Blacks.
The tickets are priced at R1 000 for seats on the north and south lower tier, and R1 500 for seats on the east and west lower tier.
Tickets can be bought at any Computicket branch or the stadium ticket office.
Those who have already purchased tickets can collect them at any Computicket outlet, at Money Market counters at Shoprite/Checkers, or the stadium ticket office.
They will need to produce their ticket reference number and the bank card with which they bought the tickets.
A match ticket includes a stadium return trip with a Buscor bus, and no ticket fee is payable on presentation of the ticket.
Dedicated, clearly marked buses will transport supporters back to pickup points after the match.
The buses will be operational after the match until 21:00.
• Church Unlimited
• TUT
• Penryn College
• Laerskool Laeveld
• Lowveld High School
• Nelspruit Primary
• Hoërskool Bergvlam
• Hoërskool Nelspruit
• Laerskool Nelspruit
• Laerskool Witrivier
• Hoërskool Rob Ferreira
• Curro Academy.