Rugby World Cup 2011
Fans to send off Boks in style
2011-08-26 15:11
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John Smit (Gallo)
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Cape Town - Rugby
supporters will have the opportunity to send off the Springbok team to the
Rugby World Cup next Thursday (September 1) when the team will make a public
farewell from Sandton, broadcast live on national television and radio.
Thousands
of fans are expected to pack Sandton as the team makes an on-stage appearance
in Nelson Mandela Square before walking to the Gautrain station here they will
travel with a group of lucky supporters to OR Tambo International Airport.
The
“Fans’ Farewell” is a joint initiative between SARU, Lead SA, SuperSport, Absa
and the Department of Sport and Recreation.
The
public send-off event entitled "The Fans' Farewell" will be broadcast
live on radio stations such as Talk Radio 702, 94.7 Highveld Stereo, KFM
and Cape Talk will be shown live on SuperSport for all supporters
to share in the excitement. A satellite farewell event will be hosted at the V
& A Waterfront in Cape Town.
"We
have been asking fans to Unite behind the Boks and we are excited about
creating an opportunity for them to show the team that the country is truly
united behind them. We would like to invite all South Africans in and
around Sandton to join us in the festivities of 1 September," said Oregan Hoskins, SARU president.
“Rugby
World Cups hold a special place in the history of modern South Africa and we
want to make a memorable statement about national support for the Springboks as
they head for New Zealand.”
Access
to Nelson Mandela Square will be controlled to those with VIP tickets – which will
be available through giveaways on 94.7 Highveld Stereo, Radio 702, the Pretoria
News and The Star newspapers. But West Street - from Nelson Mandela
Square to the Gautrain Station – will be accessible to all-comers.
Gates
open at 12:00 and the festivities will start at 15:30 with live entertainment
by South African artists, prize competitions and other activities, building up
to the performance of SARU’s Rugby World Cup campaign song "Let's do it
again!" performed by Freshlyground and Goldfish, an aircraft fly-over
display and the arrival of the Springbok squad.
Fans are
urged to wear their official Springbok jerseys and licensed apparel on Fans
Farewell day as well as on Bokday – every Friday to the end of the tournament
as well as on Springbok match days.
SuperSport
will broadcast the event live from 15:30 from Mandela Square and there will be
regular crossings to the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town, where former
Springbok and current SuperSport rugby commentator Breyton Paulse will anchor
the proceedings.
The
event organisers will on Monday issue a detailed run order of the exciting
events of the day as well as updated traffic and security arrangements. People
can also contact the Call Centre on 083 666 1636 regarding road closures
of traffic information in the Sandton CBD.