While a viral video of a man allegedly trying to ‘steal’ the Webb Ellis Trophy during Friday’s victory parade in Cape Town continues to circulate on social media, SA Rugby has confirmed that the top prize in the global game is safe and sound, as the cup never left the bus.
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Last week, tens of thousands of jubilant Springbok supporters took to the streets of Gauteng, Cape Town and East London to celebrate South Africa’s historic fourth IRB World Cup title.
While some incidents were reported, proceedings generally ran smoothly as the Mother City was flooded by a sea of green and gold.
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Somebody tried to steal the Rugby World Cup trophy in Cape Town today.
The crowd dealt with him decisively. Watch: pic.twitter.com/CiwPO2qe15— Ismail Abramjee (@IsmailAbramjee) November 3, 2023
However, the viral video depicting a man being accosted by onlookers after allegedly swiping what appears to be the Webb Ellis Trophy raised concerns over the weekend, with many condemning the incident and the subsequent attack on the apparent perpetrator.
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A man on the bus is seen in the video pointing to someone holding a cup. A short time later, people began assaulting the man, which saw social media users claim he was attempting to ‘steal the trophy.’
Amid these claims and fears that the cup was taken, SA Rugby said that these were unfounded.
‘It never leaves the bus and [the trophy] is always accompanied by security,’ explained an SA Rugby spokesperson to News24.
The Webb Ellis is a floating trophy that is handed to the champions every four years. However, the winning team is given a replica of the Webb Ellis Trophy to put on permanent display.
The Springboks now have four of these replicas in their trophy cabinet, making them the most successful team in the competition’s history.
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Thousands gather in Cape Town CBD to back the Bokke on victory tour
Picture: Murray Swart / Cape {town} Etc