October 28, 2023 was the day the Springboks were crowned world champions after winning the Rugby World Cup in Paris, France.
Reminiscing on the historic victory, the team shared a video on X of a compilation of highlights from that night with the caption” What a moment, a day we won’t forget.”
They beat New Zealand in the cup final, which was recorded as their fourth win, becoming the most successful nation in the Rugby World Cup.
The Bokke beat the All Blacks with their signature style of a single point with the score of 12-11, which they earlier applied against England in the semi-final and France in the quarter finals respectively.
The team received incredible support back home from the moment they began their group matches, as fans would host braais and other intimate events to watch their World Cup live games.
They received a hero’s welcome when they returned home and embarked on a trophy tour to show fans the Webb Ellis Cup across provinces.
Despite a break after their big milestone, the team returned with a strong run during the 2024 Castle Lager Rugby Championship, which they won for the first time since 2019, after thrashing Argentina 48-7 in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
Since their return from France, head coach Rassie Erasmus has had to defend his new approach and team selection choices.
He has since responded to the criticism by sharing his strategy of increasing squad depth and giving young players a chance on the field.
The approach has so far yielded the preferred results.
Currently, a 34-man squad has been named for the team’s UK Tour for matches scheduled for 10, 16, and 23 November against Scotland, England and Wales respectively.
Amongst some notables in the team announcement is world cup winners Damian Willemse, Andre Esterhuizen, RG Snyman and Franco Mostert who will make a comeback after missing out on the Rugby Championship due to injuries.
Erasmus says they remain wary of their opponents but prepared to give them a run for their money.
