Springboks

The Springboks branded trophy tour bus crashed into a security gate in the Eastern Cape. Photo: Dispatch

Springboks trophy tour bus crashes in the Eastern Cape

The Springbok branded Tour bus was involved accident that happened on Monday while the vehicle was travelling from East London to Johannesburg.

Springboks

The Springboks branded trophy tour bus crashed into a security gate in the Eastern Cape. Photo: Dispatch

Several local South African news sources report that the Springbok branded Tour bus was involved accident that happened on Monday while the vehicle was travelling from East London to Johannesburg.

According to reports, on Monday night, the bus’s brakes failed, it then veered off the road, and struck a security gate of a home in Aliwal North, Eastern Cape.

Branded Bus collides with security gate

The bus was reportedly not carrying passengers and has since been moved from the scene.

Dispatch have reported that the Eastern Cape transport spokesperson, Unathi Binqose, has now confirmed the incident.

Springboks Tour Bus
The open top bus that carried the Springboks. Photo: Supplied

Springboks grateful for Trophy Tour

The Springboks have thanked everyone involved in the tour and South Africans who came out to celebrate with them.

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“As a Springbok team we wanted to give South African people hope, but those who welcomed us back at OR Tambo International Airport from France, and all along the trophy tour routes and airports, gave us hope to and inspired us to keep showing that regardless of your upbringing, race, religion and background, you can achieve anything,” said Kolisi.

“We said before the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand that were playing for the 60 million plus people in South Africa, and the support we witnessed first-hand on the trophy tour in the last few days was breath-taking.

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“It was special to see the scenes when we arrived home after the 2019 World Cup, but this welcome was something else.

“We said we wanted to help build the nation through rugby, and with tens of thousands of people from all walks of life in all four provinces running next to the bus and cheering us on, we witnessed a united nation, and we hope we can continue to see this in society as well.”

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Kolisi added: “The Springboks may only return to the field next year again, but what we took from the last few days will continue to drive us as a team.

“Once again, we wish we could have visited every province and every community, but we have to return to our clubs, so it was not possible. We know, however, that in every province, we would have received the exact same support and passion.

“Thank you, South Africa. We love you.”