Port Elizabeth Fans Give Italy Rugby Players a Hero’s Welcome Before Springbok Match

• A Port Elizabeth woman shared a heartwarming video showing Italian rugby players receiving an overwhelming welcome from locals
• The touching footage captured dozens of women waving Italian flags and cheering for the visiting team
• South Africans praised the warm Eastern Cape hospitality, with many commenting on how proud they were of the Eastern Cape

A Port Elizabeth woman has melted hearts across South Africa after sharing a beautiful video showing Italian rugby players being welcomed like heroes by locals before their match against the Springboks.

Content creator @bulelwabaleni, who regularly posts personal content on social media, shared the touching footage on 13th July with the simple caption:

"Work things... 💃💃💃"

The video shows dozens of excited women gathered, enthusiastically waving Italian flags and cheering as the rugby team walks past them. The Italian players can be seen smiling, clearly moved by the warm reception they received in a foreign country where they were about to face South Africa's national team.

Video touches hearts across SA

The heartwarming video quickly went viral, attracting over 20,000 reactions and more than 200 comments from South Africans who were moved by the display of hospitality. Many viewers expressed pride in how the Eastern Cape community welcomed the visiting team, with particular praise for the women who took time to show support for the Italian players.

@anele_fumba gushed:

"This is beautiful ❤️"

@maya_gee1 asked:

"Was this before or after?😭"

@bulelwabaleni replied:

"Before mntase."

@linda praised:

"Xhosa nation always welcoming 🥰"

@raps_the_ghost joked:

"They are the reason that Italy lost 🤣🤣😅 I am kidding."

@lonke appreciated:

"It's a kind gesture to make visitors feel welcome 👌👌👌"

@prideo_lit shared:

"I heard someone saying 'Can we play Rugby here every weekend'😭😭"

@tshepo_motloung concluded:

"Wow, singing for Vaal people. This is a wonderful gesture. Pure class from EC people🙌"

More on the Italian rugby team

According to Wikipedia, the Italy national rugby league team represents Italy in rugby league football, with origins dating back to the 1950s and 1960s. The team has competed regularly in international competitions since 2008 and is currently ranked 17th in the IRL World Rankings. The squad is nicknamed the Azzurri and is governed by the Federazione Italiana Rugby League.

The Italian team was in Port Elizabeth to face the Springboks in what would prove to be a challenging match. South Africa ultimately secured a commanding 45-0 victory over Italy in Gqeberha, with the Springboks employing some controversial tactics that divided opinion amongst rugby fans and coaches alike.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Other rugby-related stories

• Briefly News recently reported on Willie Le Roux's wife Holly sharing a heartfelt tribute as her husband became South Africa's 8th Test centurion, but the touching message she posted left fans wondering about their secret to lasting love.
• A Port Elizabeth mall's attempt to screen the Springboks vs Italy match took an unexpected turn when technical difficulties arose, leaving disappointed fans to discover the embarrassing reason behind the broadcast failure.
• Rachel Kolisi led emotional reactions as Willie Le Roux celebrated his milestone achievement with the Springboks, but her specific comment about the rugby legend had fans speculating about their close friendship.

Source: Briefly News