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SA Rugby issue 'urgent' warning to Springbok fans

Willie Le Roux of South Africa looks on during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Gold Final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Stade de France on October 28, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

SA Rugby has issued an urgent warning to online shoppers about fraudulent websites posing as the official Springbok store on social media.

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Numerous scammers have created fake shops on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, using authentic Springbok imagery and convincing names to exploit the excitement around Springbok rugby.

SA Rugby says that there is only one official online store for Springbok merchandise, where customers can safely purchase official clothing and licensed supporter items with guaranteed orders and deliveries.

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Rassie Erasmus on his rivalry with Razor Robertson

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Rassie Erasmus on his rivalry with Razor Robertson

“There has been a worrying proliferation of online stores on social media channels, preying on fans’ trust and their eagerness for Bok supporter wear,” said Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby.

“They cut-and-paste genuine marketing material from our apparel partner Nike and our own online store to pass themselves off as official – offering discounted prices.

“We are issuing an urgent ‘buyer beware’ warning to fans to not fall for online fraudsters but to go to the official online store so as not to be fall victim to online scam artists.”

Meanwhile South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has been cleared to play against the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship this Saturday. Initially excluded due to a knee injury, the 124-cap Springbok has now been confirmed in the revised squad. Head coach Rassie Erasmus hinted at his return, and a day later, it was confirmed that the Sharks enforcer will replace Marco van Staden on the bench at Ellis Park.

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Comments

4 Comments
J
JK 200 days ago

Also don't eat yellow snow

B
Bull Shark 201 days ago

Serves em right for not purchasing their kitters at the intersection of William Nicol and the N1. Umgeni Road and Alpine.

J
JK 200 days ago

Too busy dodging taxis...those m'fers

R
RW 201 days ago

Along with coathangers and phone chargers

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FF 1 hour ago
The story of Romania's Mariana Lucescu: The Stejarii ‘Madame Rugby’

Assessing the overall state of Romanian rugby is quite challenging, as it's a mixed bag with both positives and negatives.


Club Finances & Player Salaries: Teams like Steaua and Dinamo have solid financial backing and can pay their players well—often more than clubs in the French 4th division and sometimes even the 3rd. This financial stability is a key reason why many Romanian players choose to stay rather than move to lower-tier French leagues.


Professionalism & Foreign Influence: The SuperLiga, with its six teams, maintains a strong professional setup. This attracts many foreign players, which raises the overall level of competition. However, this also makes it difficult for young Romanian players to transition into the top league, as the jump from training 2-3 times a week to a full-time professional setup is significant.


Facilities: While some clubs, like Steaua, have modern facilities, others, such as Timișoara, struggle with inadequate infrastructure. Outside the SuperLiga, the situation is even worse—many clubs still rely on outdated communist-era facilities. Since most don’t own their stadiums, investment in improvements is minimal. Clubs risk losing their grounds to football academies (e.g., Tei - Bucharest), real estate developments (e.g., Brașov), or stalled public projects (e.g., Brăila’s unfinished Olympic pool, under construction for 15 years).


League Structure & Future Growth: The first division remains fully professional and competitive compared to other second-tier leagues in Europe. However, with only six teams, expansion seems unlikely in the next 1-2 years. Meanwhile, second-division teams are barely surviving.


Junior Development: Youth rugby is in decline, with fewer teams and players than before. However, there are promising efforts to establish privately funded clubs, particularly at the mini-rugby level.


Overall, while the top-tier league is stable, Romanian rugby still faces major challenges in infrastructure, youth development, and league expansion.


In theory, the current state should be enough to keep us among the top 24 teams in the world, ensuring Rugby World Cup qualification and potentially climbing a few spots in the World Rankings - but not much beyond that. However, I can also see us occasionally missing out on a World Cup or having to go through the repechage if we falter on the wrong day.

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