Kolisi dedicates the World Cup victory to all South Africans

Kolisi briefed the media on Tuesday after landing at OR Tambo International Airport with the Webb Ellis Trophy for the second time in his career.

Wrapped in the South African flag, Kolisi and the Springboks team walked into a terminal hall packed with thousands of fans ready to welcome the World Champions.

The Springboks claimed a second successive Webb Ellis Cup with a 12-11 win against New Zealand on a wet and windy night in Paris on Saturday.

The humble Kolisi said the back-to-back victory was not for the players but for every South African.

“Today, South Africa showed us exactly who we did it for.

“On behalf of the team, we’d like to thank the people of South Africa. It was a tough 20 weeks, but there were four years of planning behind that.

“When we won the World Cup in 2019, people didn’t think we would do it – instead, they were hopeful because the plan was always for 2023, but things changed, and we won in 2019, and this time, our people expected us to win.

“This was not about us as players; this victory was for every South African, and we showed what is possible with this diverse team," said Kolisi.

Kolisi also praised the leadership team that was behind the champions.

"The coaching staff knew how to align us as a group. 

This trophy was for the people of the people experiencing tough circumstances, those in Zwide, Goodwood and Malmesbury, and all other communities and townships, but also for those who are more well-to-do and everyone who wants to make something of their lives.

As a team, we want to be a reference point for our people, to show them how we can do it, and hopefully, they’ll get hope from this team.

 Another important thing for us was to transform while winning. But we’d also like this to extend beyond sport, what is happening in South Africa, and how people see things going forward.

“We may not be able to change people’s circumstances, but we can give hope. We can inspire people," he said.

Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa, who also landed with the team, lauded them for what they achieved in uniting the nation.

 "The team’s performances on and off the field were an expression of former President Nelson Mandela’s saying that ‘sport has the power to change the world, sport can create hope where once there was only despair’.

“This victory pays homage to his vision, and it’s a dream to see the nation so united.”