President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to be in the crowd when the Springboks take on New Zealand, known as the All Blacks, in the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday evening.

The much-anticipated showpiece will be held at the Stade de France in Paris.

“The President will… travel to Paris to support the Springboks in their quest on Saturday, the 28th of October, to return the Rugby World Cup Webb Ellis trophy. The President is really looking forward to be invited onto the pitch for a second time by captain Siya Kolisi to help lift the cup for the world champions.

“This will be the first time any country will hold four Rugby World Cup titles. The President wishes the Springboks and the All Blacks well for this showcase which we hope will be a memorable event for those who will be in the stadium as well as the global media audience that will be following the game,” Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.

Magwenya said President Ramaphosa’s presence in the European country will be “an opportunity for a brief bilateral interaction” with French President Emmanuel Macron.

“The President will also take the opportunity to visit the squad at their hotel to deliver words of encouragement on behalf of the nation,” Magwenya said.

Meanwhile, speaking on the official Springboks website, captain Siya Kolisi said the team is aware of the importance of the match for the entire nation.

“It’s probably the biggest game of my life. I don’t think it will happen in our lifetimes again that we have another game like this, and we are excited. We know how good [the All Blacks] are.

“What we do on Saturday can control the mood of over 62 million South Africans. People have been sending messages saying when we play it is the only time they are happy, and as a team we represent all kinds of people,” Kolisi said.

Source: South African Government News Agency