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World Cup: here's how to back the Boks

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1 June 2011

As the countdown begins to the Springboks' first match in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in September, South Africans have been called on to rally behind their team – and there are plenty of ways in which you can do so.

Magnificent Fridays, Bokdays

The government's Magnificent Fridays campaign, which aims get South Africans united behind the country's national sporting teams, calls on citizens to wear their green and gold colours and keep the South African flag flying high every Friday leading up to and including the World Cup.

Minister Fikile Mbalula has also urged South Africans to rally behind the national netball team, which will be participating in the World Netball Championships in Singapore in July.

"Let us do it for the netball team (amaNtombazana) and the Springboks (amaBhokoBhoko) as they go out to conquer the world," Mbalula said on Tuesday.

Falling in with Magnificent Fridays is the South African Rugby Union's (Saru's) Bokday campaign, which call on supporters to wear the Springbok colours every Friday through to the end of the tournament in October, as well as on Springboks playing days, which include a Thursday, Saturday and Sunday – as well as a Friday – during the tournament.

Anthem

As part of its "Unite 2011" campaign, Saru has also launched a specially commissioned anthem, "Let's Do It Again", to rally support behind the Springboks.

The song, which will be released to the public in July, is a collaboration between award-winning South African superstars Freshlyground and Goldfish. Freshlyground, collaborated with Shakira on "Waka Waka", the official anthem of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

"We hope the song becomes the soundtrack to a national mobilisation in the support of the Springboks," Saru CEO Jurie Roux said in a statement on Wednesday.

"There are now just 100 days to go until the tournament kicks off, and we believe we can recapture the spirit of national unity that marked the Springboks' previous Rugby World Cup victories in 1995 and 2007 and also last year's soccer World Cup."

Aiming for one-million Facebook fans

The campaign has also targeted accumulating one million supporters for the Springboks on their Facebook page – www.facebook.com/springboks – as well as providing other digital platforms through which supporters can register their support, while putting themselves in line to win a trip to New Zealand or signed playing jerseys.

Supporters can:

Visit m.unite2011.co.za on their mobile phones or www.unite2011.co.za on the web and sign up as a supporter and enter a draw to be Saru's guests at the Rugby World Cup.

SMS their name and surname to 33512 to show their support and enter the draw.

Sign a digital jersey at www.unite2011.co.za which will then be manufactured and delivered to the team in New Zealand – one signer will win a Springbok jersey signed by the team.

Attend a live match screening of a Springbok game at Township TV viewing sites – big screens erected in selected townships – and take part in a rugby coaching clinic.

Watch the match at BoKTowns across South Africa during the tournament.

Attend a public appearance by the Springboks with open training sessions throughout the home international season and a farewell on the eve of departure.