The Springboks – South Africa’s World Cup Rugby champs – arrived back home at OR Tambo on Tuesday with the warmest welcome home. Hundreds of supporters flocked to the airport to greet the nation’s stars and catch a glimpse of the iconic Webb Ellis Cup.
ALSO SEE: Springbok ladies react to their champs winning the Rugby World Cup
The Bokke arrived back in South Africa this morning (Tuesday 31 October) to hoards of supporters ready to welcome them home in cheer. OR Tambo’s arrivals hall was packed to the rafters with spirited supporters waving the SA flag high as the team touched down after a long-haul flight from Paris, where they won the Rugby World Cup.
Making history, South Africa became the only country to win the Rugby World Cup four times, with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi seeing the team through two of those wins.
The Bokke have made the nation proud. In SA’s ‘family meeting’ with Ramaphosa last night, Cyril shared a quote by Nelson Mandela, about the power that sports has to reunite a nation.
Madiba, at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000 once said:
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does…”
Twenty-three years later, those words ring true, demonstrated by how South Africans have rallied together to celebrate The Springboks’ historical win.
Local comedian Marc Lottering took to Instagram earlier today, sharing scenes from Joburg’s OR Tambo International Airport as the Bokke arrived back home on solid ground:
View this post on Instagram
Lottering wrote:
“I never should have given up on my thriving rugby-playing career. (Damn that one head injury!) This is the kinda welcome I’m missing out on every time I land in Joburg! 😂😄😄😄😄🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦😍 #BOKKE! #WELCOMEHOMECHAMPIONS 💚”
Users on X (formerly Twitter) also posted images and footage from the airport:
Beautiful scenes at OR TAMBO ❤️🇿🇦#Springboks #SpringboksRWC pic.twitter.com/KuCkJ7ytMn
— Mosh (@_DJMosh) October 31, 2023
Scores of people here at OR Tambo International Airport to welcome the #RWC2023 champions.
The team will emerge from the international arrival terminal any minute from now.
For South Africa 🇿🇦#StrongerTogether #Springboks@City_Press pic.twitter.com/epK7gatiP5— Tiisetso Malepa (@TiisetsoMalepa) October 31, 2023
OR Tambo International Airport is lit🔥🔥🏆#SpringboksRWC #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/X6OHBfvKZ8
— Themba Mathebula (@runner_bae) October 31, 2023
The crowd at OR Tambo International Airport to welcome the World Cup winning Springboks home, 31 October 2023. pic.twitter.com/sE4BLz5x04
— Neil McCartney (@NeilMcCartney) October 31, 2023
Siya Kolisi lifts the Webb Ellis Cup as he Leeds the #Springboks through the gates of OR Tambo International Airport as thousands of fans wait for them#RWC2023 #SpringboksRWC pic.twitter.com/39mpCc7G8i
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) October 31, 2023
Bongi Mbonambi lifts the web Ellis cup
Rassie Erasmus walks in as he has described the #springboks as one of the greatest teams in rugby history! 🏆The @Springboks arrive to a hero’s welcome at the OR Tambo International Airport #SpringboksRWC#RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/4OnMzB9Uqm
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) October 31, 2023
The celebrations have officially started at OR Tambo International Airport where we are waiting for the @Springboks arrival 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/7uqY0iApCL
— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) October 31, 2023
ALSO SEE:
WATCH: South Africans react to Bokke making it to World Cup finals
Feature Image: X / @runner_bae
