Virginia Keppler

Pretoria – Don’t let the big names of world football intimidate you. Stay focused and do your thing.”

That was the advice from Bulls flyhalf Morné Steyn to Bafana Bafana at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday.

Steyn and his team-mates all wore yellow Bafana shirts as Bulls captain Victor Matfield and the National Press Club also expressed their support for South Africa’s football team.

The Bulls departed for Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday night for their four-week tour.

“We want to show our support for Bafana. We are right behind South Africa. Let’s all get behind Bafana and make this an exceptional World Cup,” said Matfield.

Barend van Graan, chief executive of the Blue Bulls Company, said that the entire nation had supported the Springboks during the World Cup in 1995. He added that the nation had also supported the Bulls last year and “now it is Bafana’s time”.

“We will arrive in our Bafana jerseys in Perth tomorrow to show the world how proud we are of our team,” said Van Graan.

South African Football Association representative Victor Nosi handed Matfield a Bafana jersey that has been signed by all the players. Matfield immediately changed into it.

Nosi expressed his delight at the Bulls’ support.

“Fly the South African flag high wherever you go,” he said.

Yusuf Abramjee, chairman of the National Press Club, said that every South African had a responsibility to get behind Bafana and the 2010 World Cup.

“Let us support the national football team. The Bulls are the first rugby team to openly come out in support of Bafana. I hope other teams will do the same,” said Abramjee.