A new chapter in South African rugby history will be written on Friday when the first ever Springbok store opens its doors at 09h00 in the Sandton City shopping centre in Johannesburg.
The ground-breaking development was inaugurated at a special ceremony on Thursday featuring Mr Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, and Mr Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, and is planned to be followed by further store openings elsewhere in the country.
The store will feature the official Nike replica teamwear as well as an exciting new range of off-field supporters clothing, called Springboks, designed to be worn everywhere – from the office to the braai.
“In retrospect, it is amazing that we have not had such an offering before now,” said Mr Mark Alexander, president of the South African Rugby Union, at the shop launch.
“Before today, if you’d asked the question ‘where is the Springbok shop?’ you’d have been met by blank faces.
“Famous sports teams around the world have club shops. If you’re in the Champs Elysee in Paris, you can visit the Paris St Germain club shop; if you’re passing through Munich airport you can visit the Bayern Munich club shop and if you’re in the Old Trafford area of Manchester you can visit United’s megastore.
“But if a visitor to South Africa wants to take home with him or her a memento of one of Africa’s most famous sports teams where was the Springboks store? Now we have an answer.”
The new store’s offering is also available online for fans both in SA and overseas and can be found at www.springbokretail.com.
The opening marks the successful completion of a goal set by SARU’s Executive Council at the start of 2024 to answer South Africa’s hunger for the Springbok brand.
Rian Oberholzer, SA Rugby CEO, said: “The explosion of counterfeiters and imitators since 2019 has flooded e-commerce channels with fake product, borrowing from the colours and iconography of the Springboks.
“The Exco recognised there was a gap in the market that others were exploiting and that there was an opportunity and a need for SA Rugby to meet that demand and retain the value for the benefit of rugby.
“The intention is that this store will be followed by others in due course with a range of clothing that will allow rugby fans to show their support for the Springboks in many different items of clothing – it’s not just for Saturdays.
“That we have got here so quickly – within 18 months of setting the goal – is a tribute to the hard work of the team that has gone on behind the scenes.
“This is the start of an exciting new chapter for the Springboks and will take the brand into places it has never been before.”
The store is located at Protea Court in Sandton City and can be most easily reached from the Rivonia Road entrance. Fans can shop the full range at www.springbokretail.com.
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