THE FIRST SPRINGBOKS fan we meet across the road from Loftus Versfeld is friendly, offering a firm handshake, but he has a word of warning.
“The Irish are good but this is Loftus,” says Jean, kitted out in green and gold like everyone else we see.
“This is our fortress.”
We’d heard plenty about the experience of going to a Springboks game in Pretoria and it lived up to the billing, even if one or two aspects of the event jarred.
A big part of the build-up is how early the South African fans arrive on matchday. From five hours out, there were families and groups of friends parking up and unpacking their barbecues for a braai.
Across the road from Loftus, Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool – the school known as ‘Affies’ that produced RG Snyman and several other Boks – has been transformed into a base for those braais and beers and loud Afrikaans music. This is the middle of winter but beautiful sunshine and heat of 21°C mean it feels like the best of the Irish summer.
The Highveld of South Africa – an inland plateau with an altitude of over 1,500 metres and home to the cities of Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Bloemfontein – is seen as an area where the Afrikaans influence on rugby is particularly strong. The Afrikaners, descended from predominantly Dutch settlers, are known as huge people. That is backed up by a matchday at Loftus. Wide-shouldered, barrel-chested, thick-limbed men abound.
Loftus is named after Robert Loftus Owen Versfeld, who founded Pretoria Rugby Club in 1888 and established their home at what is now this imposing stadium. Versfeld also played against the British Lions when they toured South Africa in 1891.
One of the Boks fans in Affies, Jason, generously sends his sons off to buy us a round of ‘springbokkies’ – shots made of crème de menthe and Amarula, so green and gold – within minutes of saying hello. He was at the World Cup last year with his sons and, like nearly all South Africans we have met, has plenty of respect for Ireland.
Going back across the road towards Loftus, a big sign declares it as the ‘house of champions,’ listing the Bulls’ honours in the Currie Cup, Vodacom Cup, and Super Rugby. There’s nothing about the Springboks’ record but they see Loftus as a bear pit in which they can test their visitors physically with the altitude and mentally with the ferocious atmosphere.
The All Blacks have an excellent record at Loftus, winning five of their six Test in Pretoria, but everyone else has struggled. Ireland made it two defeats from two visits last night.
When you get through the gates, the place to be is Loftus Park, a huge field to one side of the stadium where thousands upon thousands of fans gather for more drinks, food, and music. It’s a sight to behold, with the buzz going up a few notches from the more chilled-out scenes outside the ground.
We happen upon Springboks legend Victor Matfield working for SuperSport on a small stage amid the madness. He has two huge South African fans up with him and that’s where we get the first renditions of ‘Rassie, Rassie, Rassie’ – their version of Zombie. We’ll hear plenty more of it before the day is out.
There are Irish jerseys dotted around the place, some of them worn by South Africans who have family roots in Ireland, but they’re overwhelmingly outnumbered by the green and gold of Springboks gear.
The stadium itself looks pleasingly old-school with its red brick exterior and splashes of Bulls’ blue on the cladding. It feels almost like a step back in time to walk into the bowl, with the bright blue seats giving it such a distinctive look. The capacity is 51,762 but it looks bigger due to being enclosed, no gaps between the stands, adding to that sense of the Boks welcoming their prey into a fight-to-the-death showdown.
Sadly, the press box at Loftus is behind glass that dilutes the volume so we take up a position close to the pitch to take in more of the build-up. Another legendary Springboks lock, Bakkies Botha, tries to sneak past supporters to SuperSport’s pitchside studio but he’s spotted by a fan who nearly breaks down such is his ecstasy to get a selfie with the famous enforcer.
Supporters are now streaming into their seats as kick-off approaches and it’s striking just how much booze they’re carrying from the bars. There’s always talk about Irish fans’ fondness for a pint at games in the Aviva Stadium but Loftus is on another level. Some people carry their beers or brandy and cokes by loads of 12.
The pre-match hype involves the ‘Elizabedi‘ kid being interviewed, while we also get another viewing of the Springboks’ ‘Unfinished Business’ video to whet the appetite. We’re introduced to some of South Africa’s world champions, including hugely popular MMA fighter Dricus du Plessis, who fights out of Pretoria. We also meet the winners of the World Sheep Shearing Championships.
All of it means that the place is near frenzy by the time the teams run out.
Siya Kolisi’s energetic sprint towards the middle of the pitch illustrates how the Springboks feed off the atmosphere, as does their superb start to the game. Before that, we are treated to a spine-tingling version of the South African national anthem.
The official singer stops as the final lines in English roll around and the Boks fans give it even more. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is always special, made up of five of the most-used languages in South Africa – Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English. But there is something extra about this rendition, something that brings goosebumps to the arms and neck. This is South Africa welcoming their back-to-back world champions home and the Springboks giving thanks to their dedicated supporters.
There’s sustained pre-match chanting of Rassie Erasmus’ name, those moments underlining just how much the charismatic leader means to the people of South Africa.
A huge banner across the top of one of the stands read ‘Hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie,’ which means ‘They don’t know what we know’ in Afrikaans. It’s a phrase the Springboks have used to remind themselves of how they’re fighting for a greater cause for a nation that has been through a horrific past.
So the place is rocking for the opening exchanges and the Boks’ brilliant start only adds to the celebratory atmosphere, but that dies down in the second half as Ireland hang in there and make it a true battle. These are nervy times for the home fans.
The stadium announcer is determined to cover any lulls with manic shouting but there is poor judgement when Craig Casey is down being treated for a horrible head injury. As the medics surround him, the announcer decides to call on everyone to turn on the lights on their phones and sing along to Coldplay. It’s a jarring juxtaposition.
They pump out the first airing of Zombie during a break in play as early as the 20th minute, tempting fate, but the Springboks’ supporters are thrilled to hear it given a full rendition after the final whistle, all of them hailing Rassie and his men.
We end up down in the tunnel interviewing defeated Irishmen an hour after the final whistle and there is the famous sign, the last thing players see before they run onto the pitch: ‘Altitude. 1350m. It matters.’
It’s still up for debate whether the altitude really makes much difference, especially when a team like Ireland have time to acclimatise to the Highveld, but the Boks fans go home happy that Loftus remains their fortress.
