Springbok Canan Moodie's Brother Defends South Africans Who Support the All Blacks
- Keanu Moodie, brother of Springbok Canan Moodie, weighed in on the debate over South Africans who support the All Black
- The All Blacks arrived in Cape Town on 31 July 2026 to a warm welcome from supporters known as the Cape Crusaders
- The loyalty of some South Africans to the All Blacks is rooted in the country's apartheid-era rugby history
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The brother of Springbok winger Canan Moodie has publicly defended South Africans who support New Zealand's All Blacks, amid renewed debate sparked by the Kiwis' arrival in Cape Town.
The All Blacks landed at DHL Stadium on 31 July 2026 to a warm reception from a group of local supporters who call themselves the Cape Crusaders. The scenes drew sharp criticism from many Springbok fans on social media, with some questioning why non-white South Africans would back a rival nation, particularly given that the Springboks have a mixed-race squad and their first black captain in Siya Kolisi.
Keanu Moodie Enters the Debate
Responding to the backlash on X (formerly Twitter), Keanu Moodie offered a different perspective.
"The number of AB supporters has declined significantly since the introduction of certain players: Kolbe, KLA, Moodie, Grant, etc. But let us not forget the Springboks for a long time were not representative of our nation," he wrote. He concluded simply: "People have the right to support their own team, finish."
It was not the first time Keanu had spoken on the subject. In September 2025, he noted that his brother's rise in the Springbok squad had shifted allegiances in their own neighbourhood, writing that "so many All Blacks supporters in our neighbourhood have switched due to Canan playing for the Springboks."
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Why Some South Africans Back the All Blacks
The All Blacks are reported to have the second-largest fanbase in South Africa outside New Zealand, with particularly strong support in the Western Cape among coloured communities.
The roots of this loyalty stretch back to the apartheid era, when non-white players were excluded from the Springboks and confined to separate rugby federations controlled by the all-white South African Rugby Board. Adding to tensions, the Board barred Māori players from touring or competing in South Africa, a position that was at least tolerated by New Zealand rugby authorities at the time.
In the late 1960s, New Zealand's protest group Halt All Racist Tours called for a boycott of South African fixtures, and many non-white South Africans found solidarity with the All Blacks through that shared experience of discrimination.
Although South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand at Ellis Park in what became an iconic moment of post-apartheid reconciliation, with then-President Nelson Mandela famously encouraging the nation to unite behind the Springboks, a significant portion of South Africans have continued to support the All Blacks.
The two nations are scheduled to play four Test matches over the coming two months. The All Blacks will also face provincial sides including the Sharks, Stormers, Bulls and Lions before the Test series begins.
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Source: Briefly News
