Picture: The Springboks team celebrating after winning 2023 Rugby World Cup/Twitter
By OBAKENG MAJE
North West University (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka said, he is super proud after the South African national rugby team, the Springboks win the Rugby World Cup for the fourth time.
Tyobeka said the Springboks is only the national rugby team in the world to record such a significant milestone. He further said, since the beginning of the Rugby World Cup in September, more than 60 000 North West University students and staff have embraced and cheered for that, which unite them as South Africans.
“To the world champions, your resilience, hard work, togetherness, and ethos of caring and protecting each, has once again united our country. We are proud of you and hearty congratulations. Your commitment and passion for our country has been exemplary.
“We thank the team captain, Siya Kolisi and the boys, as well as the coaching team under the leadership of coach Jacques Nienaber and the ever-flamboyant leader of the pack, coach Rassie Erasmus for raising South Africa’s flag higher than all other nations during the Rugby World Cup,” said Tyobeka.
He added that, the country saw blood, sweat, tears of joy and celebration, anxiety, and anticipation from South Africans as they stood stronger together to wish them success.
Tyobeka said the founding president of the beautiful country, Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, once stated that: “sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand.”
“We have indeed witnessed this statement come to life across all our campuses, villages, small dorpies, towns, and cities of our beautiful country. There is so much we can achieve working together and united in pursuit of a shared goal – the success of our country,” he said.
Tyobeka said all of them at the NWU and everyone across the country, must always remind themselves of this and be inspired by this historic win by the Bokke.
He said to the broader NWU community and all South Africans, let them take the Springboks’ hard work, resilience, and winning spirit and use it in all our endeavours.
“That is, in our classrooms, workplaces, sport fields, and in all our daily lives to achieve greatness. Once again, congratulations to the entire Springbok team. You united the nation and made us proud. You definitely made a point loud and clear that South Africa is indeed alive with possibilities,” said Tyobeka.
The Guardian 