Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rhulani Mokwena couldn’t contain his emotions as his team triumphed in the inaugural African Football League Mokwana Pirates. Image Source: (@MamelodiSundowns/Twitter)
How Mokwena hopes Boks can inspire Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns mentor Rulani Mokwena explains how he hopes the Boks can inspire his men ahead of Al Ahly tie.
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rhulani Mokwena couldn’t contain his emotions as his team triumphed in the inaugural African Football League Mokwana Pirates. Image Source: (@MamelodiSundowns/Twitter)
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena hopes his side can look at the Boks and how the new world champions can inspire his men.
The Springboks defeated New Zealand to retain their world title last weekend and Sundowns will look to be inspired as Mokwena leads his side to Egypt.
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Sundowns will take on Al Ahly in the second leg of the African Super League semi-final on Wednesday away from home.
MOKWENA ON HOW BOKS CAN INSPIRE SUNDOWNS
The 36-year-old Sundowns coach, Mokwena, and his players are also representing the country in the African Football League.
Fresh From a 1-0 win at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Sunday, Mokwena will hope his men will finish the job in Cairo and looks to the Boks’ exploits.
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“Congratulations to the Springboks, they have made the entire country proud. Hopefully, it (victory) rubs off (on us). We deserve this happiness, we’re a country that goes through a lot,” Mokwena said.
“Congratulations to coach Jacques Nienaber, Rassie Erasmus, and the entire technical team.
“We must also thank Siya Kolisi and his incredible group because they have shown us that we do have talent in South Africa and we’re just as good as the rest of the world.
“We can beat the best in the world because that’s what they did, they beat the All Blacks who are considered the best in the world.
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“Congratulations once again, we want to thank them for giving us happiness and for inspiring us as South Africans to dream and achieve more in our own area of operation.”
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Additionally, Mokwena who grew up from a football-loving family, admits he knows very little about rugby.
Mokwena is the son of Orlando Pirates great Julias ‘KK’ Sono and nephew to the legendary Jomo Sono also adds that he watched the nail-biting encounter between the Boks and the All Blacks.
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“I won’t pretend to be a rugby fanatic. When I was watching the final, I had my laptop on, my phone, and my iPad,” Mokwena adds.
“On the laptop was an Al-Ahly match, on the TV screen at the hotel, it was the rugby match, and on the other device I had, I downloaded a book called coaching rugby for dummies because I felt like a dummie.
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“I was on ChatGPT and I kept asking questions like why is there a penalty after a try? How many points do you get after a try?
“When is it a try? Because I was also listening to the referees speaking to the players but I could tell that the stove was hot and there was a lot of pressure.”
