Captain Siya Kolisi has called on the Springboks to find inspiration from Soweto's pivotal role in South Africa's history as they prepare to host New Zealand on Saturday.
Kolisi's message emphasizes drawing strength from the nation's past as the team faces a significant international rugby match. The Springboks team list for the match includes Kolbe, Arendse, Kriel, de Allende, Hooker, Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Reinach, Nche, Marx, Louw, Etzebeth, Nortje, Kolisi, PS du Toit, and Wiese, with Fourie, Steenekamp, T du Toit, De Jager, Esterhuizen, Hanekom, Van den Berg, and Libbok on the replacements.
New Zealand's lineup features McKenzie, Jordan, Tupaea, J Barrett, Carter, Love, Roigard, Bower, Aumua, Lomax, Vaa'I, Darry, Lakai, Jacobson, and Savea, with Taukei'aho, Numia, Newell, Holland, Sititi, Preston, Lienert-Brown, and Moorby as replacements.
This match also presents a unique sibling milestone. If both on-field players make it to the game, they will become the second pair of brother-sister siblings to play for New Zealand on the same day. This follows Xavier and Annaleah Rush, who achieved this feat on August 29, 1998, at Sydney Football Stadium against Australia. Semo Sititi, father of one of the current players and a former player for Borders and Newcastle who captained Samoa, has traveled to Johannesburg for the match. One of the players, Amarante, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, "Representing this country is a privilege but doing it alongside my brother is something special. I will always hold it in my heart." Amarante also described the experience as "pretty surreal" and "really cool."