Ok people of the fairest Cape now is your chance to shine.
Now is your time to deliver for the whole country.
Now is your time to leave your pretty beaches and special mountain and get decked out in all your Green and Gold finery and get down to DHL Stadium and back the Springboks as they try to bring the Freedom Cup back where it belongs for the first time in ages (5pm kick-off).
An afternoon without a fancy coffee or umbrella drink looking out at the ocean hoping to see some humpback whales won't hurt at all.
There are, somehow (actually we know how, Western Province Rugby should be ashamed) tickets still available so get down there and watch warriors like Siya Kolisi (playing with a broken face) go to war with their oldest rugby rival.
Many social media e(X)perts are saying you shouldn’t host the four-time World Champions when they face the All Blacks due to the vast number of Cape Crusaders who live by the sea but I believe in you.
I believe that you will make the stadium shake when you sing the national anthem, I believe that the Kiwis will tremble when they see and hear your roars on Saturday, I believe that you will deafen them with your silence when a man in black scores a try and I believe that you will respect the Haka because, apparently, some traditions mean more than others …
I believe.
The people of Durban (Ireland) Pretoria (Ireland), Bloemfontein (Portugal), Brisbane (Australia), Perth (Australia) and Johannesburg (New Zealand) have set the bar high with each ground covered in a sea of green and heaving with emotion and excitement but I believe you can match and even surpass, those experiences.
And I’m going to ask you to go one step further, I’m going to ask you to get to the stadium early, ridiculously early, so you can support the Springbok Women in their clash with the Barbarians.
This is their first Test on home soil in 2024 and they need your support, they deserve your support …
These moms, daughters, sisters, nieces, aunts and cousins of the Rainbow Nation have put in the hard work under a new coaching regime, most of them while working hard at ‘regular’ jobs, in an effort to match their male counterparts.
From 1.30pm on Saturday they should be blown away by the number of fans in the stands and the noise that greets their every attack, tackle, line-out, ruck and scrum.
People of Cape Town you came out in force to back the Proteas Women during the T20 World Cup and carried them to the final, do the same for the Women Boks who put their bodies in the line for our entertainment.
Show the world that you don’t simply play lip service to Women’s Month and that you haven’t forgotten about them just because it is now September.
I believe in you Cape Town, I believe.
Springbok starting XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe; 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Grant Williams; 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt); 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth; 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Kwagga Smith, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
All Black starting XV: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a; 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima; 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Wallace Sititi; 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (capt); 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams. Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Beauden Barrett.
Springbok Women starting XV: 15 Byrhandré Dolf, 14 Jakkie Cilliers, 13 Eloise Webb, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Ayanda Malinga; 10 Nadine Roos, 9 Tayla Kinsey; 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 6 Sizophila Solontsi; 5 Vainah Ubisi, 4 Nolusindiso Booi (capt); 3 Babalwa Latsha, 2 Lindelwa Gwala, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie. Replacements: 16 Micke Gunter, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Azisa Mkiva, 19 Danelle Lochner, 20 Sinelitha Noxeke, 21 Felicia Jacobs, 22 Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 23 Zintle Mpupha.
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