A deal has been reached between the South African Rugby Union (Saru), SuperSport, and the SABC for the public broadcaster to show Saturday’s Castle Lager Inbound Series Test match between Italy and South Africa.
Supersport holds exclusive broadcast rights, and the public broadcaster, the SABC, did not broadcast last week’s match against the Barbarians.
The broadcast agreement has been reached in recognition of the historic nature of this particular match, which will mark the 30th anniversary of the Springboks’ historic 1995 Rugby World Cup victory and forms part of the celebrations by Saru to commemorate this historic moment for the country.
The exhilarating rugby spectacle will take place on July 12 and will kick off at 5pm at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
It will be broadcast live on SABC2, SABC radio stations, and SuperSport (DStv).
Power of shared purpose
Saru president Mark Alexander said: “The 1995 triumph was a moment that captured the attention of the world — revealing the unmatched power of sport to bring people together, to heal deep wounds, and to inspire a country that was still finding its feet as a young democracy.
“As Saru, we are working closely with our broadcasters to ensure that all South Africans can be part of this historic occasion.”
Nomsa Chabeli, the SABC Group CEO, added: “As the public broadcaster, we view it as our mandate and responsibility to bring such defining national moments to every South African.
“Whether in a township, village, or city, every citizen should be able to relive the spirit of 1995 — a spirit of hope, unity, and excellence.
“We therefore extend our deepest appreciation to Saru and SuperSport for enabling this collaborative agreement.
“This partnership is a testament to the power of shared purpose — where commercial imperatives and public interest converge to serve a higher calling: nation-building.”
Stand-alone channel
From SuperSport, CEO Rendani Ramovha explained that the pay channel is pleased to be able to contribute to the country’s celebration of 30 years of Springbok excellence since that unforgettable moment in 1995.
“That moment united the whole country, and we are honoured to be involved in helping unify the country once again around the Springboks,” said Ramovha.
“This year also marks 30 years of SuperSport as a stand-alone channel, and we are proud to share this milestone with the most successful rugby nation in men’s Rugby World Cup history — the Springboks.
“To make this moment special, SuperSport has various activities throughout the year, including the Springbok Dream Team and special broadcasts on Your World of Champions on DStv.”
