Picture: for illustration purposes
In a spirited show of support, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is to offer direct encouragement to the Springboks as they face off against New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final. The high-stakes match is pencilled in for Saturday evening, hosted at the renowned Stade de France in Paris. Kick-off time is set for 9 pm.
Confirming the planned attendance, Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya relayed Ramaphosa's excitement about the upcoming event. "The President will travel to Paris to support the Springboks in their pursuit of regaining the Rugby World Cup Webb Ellis trophy," he asserted, drawing attention to successful past occasions when Ramaphosa joined the triumphant squad on the pitch. This elicits memories of the previous occasion when Ramaphosa assisted captain Siya Kolisi in lifting the coveted cup on behalf of the world champions.
In his broadcast to both the Springboks and their formidable opponents, the All Blacks, the President wished each team well, hoping the match will prove memorable to the global media audience and those fortunate to secure stadium seats.
In addition to boosting morale within his national team, Ramaphosa plans to visit the Springboks at their hotel. Magwenya confirmed that the President anticipates delivering inspiring words on behalf of the South African nation to rally the players. Ramaphosa is also expected to leverage the occasion to engage President Emmanuel Macron in a brief bilateral interaction, underlining his commitment to maintaining healthy international relations amid the exhilaration of the sporting event.