The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has announced plans to open a major new rugby museum, The Springbok Experience, at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town later this year.
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has announced plans to open a major new rugby museum, The Springbok Experience, at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town later this year.
The launch last week was marked by the ceremonial capturing of the handprints of a glittering array of 43 national team captains – from all of South African rugby’s diverse traditions – at a public event the V&A Waterfront.
The handprints will be cast into bronze and installed on public display as part of the Springbok Experience exhibition.
Current Springbok captain Jean de Villiers, as well as modern legends such as Francois Pienaar and Joost van Westhuizen, were joined by pre-unity rugby greats such as Thompson Magxala – who played 32 Tests in a decade for the South African Rugby Board – and South African Rugby Football Federation stalwart Jack Juries.
The event marked the countdown to the opening to be on Heritage Day, 24 September.
Saru President Oregan Hoskins said a critical role of the Springbok Experience would be to redress an imbalance of the past by telling the often overlooked story of black rugby prior to rugby unity in 1992.
The 800 square metre museum will feature a modern, interactive rugby museum, Springbok shop and ‘Springbok Trials’ rugby skills zone.
It replaces Saru’s former museum in Boundary Road, Newlands, and is set to provide an eye-opening contrast to traditional museums.
