The Springbok Rugby World Cup squad received South African President Thabo Mbeki’s backing at an official send-off in Pretoria.
The President advised them to concentrate on rugby and to forget about the disruptions caused by the game’s administrators and the government in the last four years.
“While you are away, forget all of these controversies that we, as politicians, always raise. Don’t worry about them – just play rugby,” advised the President.
“I really don’t see why we should not win, I think we can and we should.
“If they (the French) want to invite you out, and want to give you wine and feed you frog legs, say no thank you, let’s stick to pap and vleis, so that we make sure they don’t do funny things,” joked Mbeki.
Bok captain John Smith assured the President that team was ready to “bear the weight of the nations expectations”.
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