Subdued Springbok veterans fly back to SA

The senior Springbok players will arrive back in South Africa on Monday afternoon, a day after their World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Australia.

The players, accompanied by coach Pieter De Villiers, who resigned after the match on Sunday, and Sports and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula, were expected to arrive at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport at 4.15pm.

Springbok captain John Smit, Victor Matfield, CJ van der Linde, Bryan Habana, Schalk Burger, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie and Danie Rossouw will meet with supporters once they have landed back in South Africa.

The Springboks were defeated 11-9 by Australia in Wellington on Sunday.

Vice-captain Matfield said the team had done everything but win, the Star newspaper reported on Monday.

“Usually when you lose there is a heartbreaking moment, but [we had] at least six. We felt Australia were hanging on by a thread, and unbelievably it was enough to get them the result in the end,” said Matfield.

The rest of the team was expected to return on Tuesday and Wednesday.—Sapa