Cape Town - The Springbok Supporters Club will be out in force on Saturday afternoon, manning the fortress of Newlands for the Boks’ crucial clash against Australia.
The Boks take on the Wallabies in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship in what is expected to be a super clash between the two fierce rivals.
The match will also decide the fate of the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate.
Australia has failed to win at the Newlands ground for 22 years, and Bok Supporters Club managing director Kyle Nel is confident that the record will stand after on Saturday’s game.
“It’s going to be a tough game, but I’m sure the Boks will pull through. The atmosphere at Newlands over the past few weeks has been electric, and that’s just the build-up to the big game. And the Heritage Day braai celebrations just added to it. When people in Cape Town were standing around the grill, I’m sure 99 percent of the conversations were about this game, and it will not disappoint,” he predicted.
The Boks were narrowly defeated in their last outing against the Wallabies, with the score at 24-23 during a match in Perth earlier this month.
The supporters club has backed the Boks all the way as they search for retribution on Saturday however, and battle it out for the honour of the Mandela Challenge Plate.
Craig Ernstzen, from Strandfontein Village, said Australia would not be able to penetrate the “fortress of Newlands”.
“It’s a definite win for us, and we will be glad to take the Nelson Mandela trophy at Newlands. It is the Boks’ fortress and the true home of SA rugby. I haven’t seen a game in Johannesburg, but after witnessing many games, including these two teams at Newlands, I don’t think there’s a need to go anywhere else. The record of a22-year stand against the Aussies will not be broken.”
The match will also see emerging talents like Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje and Handre Pollard on the field. The youngsters will undergo a trial by fire as they look to cement a place in the national team.
Lloyd Sterens, from Athlone, believes that the rookies will be the wildcard that decides the match.
“The weather will be fine and not too dry, so we can expect a running game of rugby filled with attack after attack. I’m sure the new boys are ready for that, and will take full advantage.
“There’s been a lot of talk about why Oupa has been overlooked so far. But coach Heyneke Meyer has selected him for such a big match and it shows how much faith he has in the player.
“It’s going to be a cracker of a match.”
Weekend Argus