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- Bok skipper Siya Kolisi has thanked South Africans for their support following the team's Rugby World Cup triumph.
- Kolisi said the fans who welcomed them back at the airport, as well as those lining the streets during the trophy tour, "gave us hope and inspired us".
- Kolisi said the welcome they received was even greater than the one that followed 2019's World Cup triumph.
- For more sports news, go to the News24 Sport front page.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has thanked the team's loyal fans for the support during their four-day World Cup trophy tour.
The Boks successfully defended their Rugby World Cup crown with a 12-11 win over New Zealand in the final in Paris late last month.
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From last Thursday to Sunday, they embarked on a tour with the Webb Ellis Cup through the streets of Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and East London.
"As a Springbok team, we wanted to give South African people hope, but those who welcomed us back at OR Tambo International Airport from France, and all along the trophy tour routes and airports, gave us hope and inspired us to keep showing that, regardless of your upbringing, race, religion and background, you can achieve anything," Kolisi said in a statement on Monday.
"We said before the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand that were playing for the 60 million plus people in South Africa, and the support we witnessed first-hand on the trophy tour in the last few days was breathtaking.
"It was special to see the scenes when we arrived home after the 2019 World Cup, but this welcome was something else.
"We said we wanted to help build the nation through rugby, and with tens of thousands of people from all walks of life in all four provinces running next to the bus and cheering us on, we witnessed a united nation, and we hope we can continue to see this in society as well."
The Boks will only play again in July next year - with Ireland believed to be touring these shores - but Kolisi said the support over the past few days will stay with the team for a long while.
"The Springboks may only return to the field next year again, but what we took from the last few days will continue to drive us as a team.
"Once again, we wish we could have visited every province and every community, but we have to return to our clubs, so it was not possible. We know, however, that in every province, we would have received the exact same support and passion.
"Thank you, South Africa. We love you," Kolisi added.
