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London - All South Africans would be cheering the Springboks on for Saturday's Test against England, they were told by the Honourable Fikile Mbalula, the minister for Sport and Recreation, when he presented the team with their match jerseys in London on Friday.
The minister told the team to dismiss the setback against Scotland and remember that they were the pride of a nation. "In a war you win some battles and you lose some battles but the strategic aim is to focus on winning the war. You have lost one battle but you have not lost the war,” he said.
"This is an important game for all the people of South Africa and we wish you all courage and that you will do our nation proud. The people of South Africa are behind you. The government of South Africa is behind you.
"You are world champions and we are proud of you. You have a challenge but we know you can overcome through strength. Tomorrow when all odds are against you we know that you will strive as children of people who are made of steel, the children of warriors and that is why we have flown here, because you are the pride of the nation."
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers thanked Minister Mbalula for making the special trip to London and for becoming the first sports minister in De Villiers' three-year tenure to accept an invitation to present the jerseys.
Minister Mbalula said: "I want to assure you that whenever you play I will make it a point that if I have the time I will be there with you. You are a sporting code that has come to be the pride of the nation. When people talk about South Africa they talk about champions and they talk about the Springboks and we are very proud of you.
"We are with you; we are one nation. It is through rugby that we have learnt that we can live together as one people and you have united us. You have given hope to the hopeless and courage to those who want to make South Africa proud and that is why we support you.”
The minister told the team to dismiss the setback against Scotland and remember that they were the pride of a nation. "In a war you win some battles and you lose some battles but the strategic aim is to focus on winning the war. You have lost one battle but you have not lost the war,” he said.
"This is an important game for all the people of South Africa and we wish you all courage and that you will do our nation proud. The people of South Africa are behind you. The government of South Africa is behind you.
"You are world champions and we are proud of you. You have a challenge but we know you can overcome through strength. Tomorrow when all odds are against you we know that you will strive as children of people who are made of steel, the children of warriors and that is why we have flown here, because you are the pride of the nation."
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers thanked Minister Mbalula for making the special trip to London and for becoming the first sports minister in De Villiers' three-year tenure to accept an invitation to present the jerseys.
Minister Mbalula said: "I want to assure you that whenever you play I will make it a point that if I have the time I will be there with you. You are a sporting code that has come to be the pride of the nation. When people talk about South Africa they talk about champions and they talk about the Springboks and we are very proud of you.
"We are with you; we are one nation. It is through rugby that we have learnt that we can live together as one people and you have united us. You have given hope to the hopeless and courage to those who want to make South Africa proud and that is why we support you.”
