Boks, Bafana on same stage to honour ideals of Madiba
THE national teams of the country’s two most popular sports – football and rugby – will feature on the same bill at the inaugural Nelson Mandela Sports and Culture Day at the FNB Stadium near Soweto on Saturday.
The event serves to celebrate the life of the ailing 95-year-old former South Africa president and global icon of freedom and humanity.
“It’s an opportunity to re-commit ourselves to the ideals he (Mandela) dedicated all his life towards achieving,” said Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile. “It is these noble values that continue to guide us as we seek to build a national democratic society which is truly united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous.”
Football will be first on the menu, when a South African Masters side, captain by former Bafana Bafana skipper Lucas Radebe, takes on an Italian Masters team at 11am.
This will be followed by the international friendly between Bafana Bafana and Burkina Faso at 1:30pm.
The SA national football team, coached by Gordon Igesund, were involved in another friendly last night – against Nigeria in Durban.
Burkina Faso lost 1-0 to Nigeria in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, and will provide stern competition for Igesund’s men.
Then, it’s on to rugby, when the Springboks are up against Argentina in the opening match of the Rugby Championship; this match is scheduled for 5pm.
The South African national rugby team’s jersey will feature a picture of Mandela on the sleeve.
“Madiba is such an inspiration for all the people in South Africa and he always showed great support for us as sports people,” said Bok captain Jean de Villiers.
Bok wing Bryan Habana was as enthusiastic about the occasion, but just as aware of how important the match against Argentina was.
“We have to remember how crucial the match against the Pumas is,” Habana said. “The Bok team wants to kick off the Rugby Championship on a positive note.”
With this special Mandela Day expected to draw a full house, it wasn’t good news for Orlando Pirates.
Pirates host Egyptian club Zamalek in the African Champions League in Joburg on Saturday night, and coach Roger de Sa found it curious that two such major attractions – Pirates’ crucial fixture and the Nelson Mandela Day – should be taking place “on the same day and only a few kilometres away from each other”. BAFANA V NIGERIA,
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