“We Are Proud All Blacks Supporters”: South Africans Hear Springboks’ Dark History

• Media personality Dan Corder's old video explaining what the Springboks symbolised in the apartheid era was reshared on TikTok
• His post looked into why some South African citizens of colour still cheer for New Zealand's All Blacks
• Social media users shared that they proudly supported the rival team, while some showed love for the Springboks

For decades, the Springboks and All Blacks have had a rivalry like no other, with even South Africans showing support for the New Zealand team. While showing representatives of your own country may seem like the right thing to do, there is an understandable reason for South African rugby fans making the switch.

On 17 November, 2025, TikTok user @marcosimpson556 reshared media personality Dan Corder's 2023 video explaining the dark history of the Springboks during apartheid. The regime, which focused on a system of institutionalised racial segregation, started in 1948 and ended in 1994. Politician Hendrik Verwoerd was dubbed the architect of apartheid.

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In the video, Dan said:

"The Springboks used to be one of the symbols of apartheid, but here's how so many South Africans started to support New Zealand instead of the Springboks."

He explained that for approximately 50 years, the apartheid government painted the national rugby team as a great example of Afrikaner excellence, holding up the values and characteristics of the Afrikaner nationalist project.

"Even the idea of a person of colour one day putting on the 'sacred' green and gold jersey was sacrilege. The apartheid government wanted to use the Springboks to prove that they should be perceived by the rest of the world as an elite, civilised, White national project."

However, as the years went on, the Springboks were boycotted and excluded from international rugby, but toured New Zealand in the 1980s. Citizens of the island country rejected their arrival, especially since Verwoerd decided that the Springboks wouldn't play against any team with people of colour in it.

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Dan further explained that Verwoerd's decision was driven by the fear of losing to people of colour.

"So it makes sense why so many South Africans of colour didn't support the Springboks and still support the All Blacks."

The media personality noted that the two largest All Blacks fanbases outside of New Zealand were in the Western and Eastern Cape.

Public opinions about Springboks and All Blacks

Social media users gathered in the comment section to express their thoughts about the two rival teams. While a few people showed their love for the players in green and gold, many others showed support for the men across the pond.

@lerato._ was one of many to share their opinion and wrote:

"New Zealand is a more impressive team to someone like me who doesn't even care about rugby like that. We only care about the Springboks because we're patriotic."

@flagship04 proudly remarked:

"I love the Springboks."

@southafricanbyheart stated under the post:

"We know, and we have moved on from that. We are now a democratic, inclusive country. The most successful Springbok captain in history is Black."

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@sishimandyyy regretted watching the video and said:

"I wish I had never known this. Ireland can actually win this weekend."

@nightzeus7 shared in the comments:

"The fact that people support New Zealand makes no sense since New Zealand played them the most when the Boks were banned. They should have supported another team that didn't play them. France, maybe?"

@henryjohnson79 told the online community:

"We should leave the past in the past and stay focused on the future, period."

After watching the clip, @pjrvrooyen added in the comment section:

"Nice try with that psychology that you use here, but we are proud All Blacks supporters and that shall remain."

Watch the TikTok video reposted on Marco's account below:

3 Other stories about the Springboks

• In another article, Briefly News reported that the Springboks were awaiting the outcomes of appeals for two controversial red cards received on their European tour.
• On Monday, 17 November, 2025, the Springboks arrived in Ireland. A video showing the players offloading their luggage onto a truck went viral, as people wondered what was in the big bags.
• The team's coach, Rassie Erasmus, called up fresh players ahead of the Springboks' clash against Ireland. The decision to add new players sparked various reactions from fans online.

Source: Briefly News