Rugby World Cup: South Africa Rugby announces Nike as new Springboks apparel sponsor
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber pointed to the positive results of the rugby tournament. South Africa Rugby has announced that the Springboks will be wearing Nike apparel again in 2023 after their contract with ASICS expires in 2022. Nike and South African Rugby have signed a six-year deal, including the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and 2027. Rugby World Cup 2023 fans can buy South Africa Vs Romania Tickets from our website.
Nike, a clothing partner from July 2023, will provide off-field game equipment, apparel and footwear for all South African national teams, as well as off-field game equipment, apparel and footwear for the Boks and Springbok Women, Men’s and Women’s Sevens and Junior Boxing clothing and footwear.
SA Rugby’s Nike deal will take over current partner ASICS, whose contract expires at the end of 2022.
South Africa Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said: “We have an excellent relationship with ASICS and are very grateful for the company’s contributions over the past eight years.”
“It is always sad to see an important partner leave, but we understand that business strategies can change over time and we wish ASICS all the best as it continues its journey in South Africa.”
Carsten Unbehaun, CEO of ASICS EMEA, said: “ASICS has been a sponsor of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) since 2014 and supports their national teams including the famous Blitzboks Sevens and Springboks teams.
“However, since 2020, ASICS EMEA is adapting its activities to focus on the main sports categories; running, tennis and indoor sports. As such, following an agreement with SARU, ASICS will not renew the contract. We would like to thank SARU for passing the following way to provide support over the years and wish the team all the best.”
This will be the second time the famous Swoosh has graced the front of a Springbok jersey, as Nike was the team’s apparel partner from 1996 to 2003. Nike jerseys will hit the shelves in July 2023.
“We are delighted to welcome Nike on board, an iconic global brand whose vision to partner with Springbok impressed us from our very first conversation,” said Roux.
“Nike has big plans for a partnership and we look forward to officially launching our new alliance next year.”
Rugby World Cup winner Siya Kolisi poses with Klopp and Thiago during Liverpool training
On Wednesday there was a special guest at the AXA Training Center in Liverpool, attended by the Rugby World Cup winner and South African captain Siya Kolisi.
A huge Liverpool fan, Kolisi led the Springboks to the World Cup in the November 2019 final against England.
Later that month, a chance meeting with Jurgen Klopp in Cape Town led to his invitation to Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Napoli, his first chance to see The Reds live at Anfield.
Earlier this week, Kolisi fulfilled another dream: to see Klopp again with the help of Adidas ZA and see Liverpool players participate in Wednesday’s training. Rugby World Cup fans can buy South Africa Vs Tonga Tickets from our website.
The South African rugby star posted some images of Virgil van Dijk’s match on Instagram, as well as a photo with Klopp and Thiago, whom he called “the magician”.
Kolisi was there with his wife Rachel, who described the day on her Instagram as a “dream come true”.
In 2019, having just won the World Cup, he explained his doubts after meeting Klopp.
“I was sitting there with South African cricket captain Faf du Plessis and when I saw him come in I almost fell off my chair because I couldn’t believe it,” he told Liverpool FC at the time.
“He went to the bathroom and I was outside waiting for him to come out.
“I was too scared to ask him [to chat], so I just gave him my phone because I knew someone who knew him. Then he came up to me and said, ‘Man, you can ask. I know that you who are, we watched the final.” So that really struck me.”
“Then he talked to us for 40 minutes.”
Kolisi went on to explain that his admiration for Steven Gerrard as a young man, especially his leadership, “touched his heart.”
Let’s hope Kolisi, as the World Cup winner, has some inspiring advice for Liverpool players as they embark on their busy pre-World Cup schedule.
How South African Rugby Players United the Nation In 1995
In 1995 South Africa was on the brink of civil war. The divide between the country’s black and white populations has reached a tipping point and problems seem inevitable.
But suddenly, in 1995, rugby united the country and saved South Africa from military conflict. By the way, if you not only like to read about rugby but are also a daring player.
“White South Africa”. The party’s platform included an apartheid policy, the main slogan of the National’s campaign during South Africa’s first post-war elections. Which consisted only of the oppression of the black population. They are not allowed to vote, they are not allowed to stay in cities where white people live, they are not allowed to enter white companies, they are not hired, they are not allowed to marry white people and many other things are restricted.
The nightmare lasted until 1994, when Nelson Mandela, a black Nobel Peace Prize laureate, became the country’s president. It was Mandela who made possible the first free elections and started to change lives in this country. Rugby World Cup 2023 fans can buy South Africa Vs Ireland Tickets from our website.
The country’s new president decided to repeal most of the apartheid laws, but the legal process was not completed overnight and a section of the black population was so desperate for their long-awaited freedom that they didn’t want to wait. White people are frankly afraid of being oppressed.
Everyone needs a signal, a signal that everything is going to be okay.
The signal came from a place they hadn’t expected. One of Mandela’s plans was to develop sports and increase South Africa’s international exposure. Finally, international sanctions against the country, which prevented the national team from participating in major competitions, were lifted. The South African rugby team in specific missed two Rugby World Cups.
Mandela not only defended the national team’s right to participate in the World Cup but also ensured that South Africa becomes the host country of this World Cup.
One country – One team
In the beginning, not everything went smoothly. The slogan “One Nation – One Team” seems to be a mockery of black people. They don’t believe white athletes have empathy. Also, people cheered their teams more. How strong is that hatred?
However, Mandela took a series of measures that fundamentally changed the situation. He invited the captain of the national team, Francois Pienaar, to his home and discussed with him
Unite the people of the land. The wise decision was to send the best rugby player in the country to prison, where Mandela spent 27 years. But only one day they wrote about it in all the papers. The players’ passionate displays of support for black people and calls to unite for the most important games have not gone unnoticed.
The moment of unification
The day before the final, Mandela personally came to the team’s training ground and spoke to every member of the team. The captain of the South African national team handed over the national team jersey to the president. Of course, New Zealand is considered the most popular and they are much more technical, but sometimes the sport isn’t all about skill. Hundreds of thousands of fans sided with the host. The players of the team have become heroes!
With the frenzied support from the stands, whites and blacks came to cheer on their favourites and the South Africans began the most important game of their lives. And win in overtime.
Nelson Mandela arrived at the awards ceremony wearing the same uniform and hat the players gave him. They then handed the white captain the trophy for winning the World Cup. This is a time to unite the nation, which is enjoyed by all, regardless of colour or wealth. The moment that saved an entire country from civil war.
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