The All Blacks received a rousing welcome in Cape Town on Tuesday as more than 4 000 fans packed the official Welcome Event ahead of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour of South Africa.
With the team preparing to begin their eight-match tour against the Stormers, supporters turned out in force to catch a glimpse of the New Zealand stars and hear from head coach Dave Rennie and tour captain Codie Taylor.
The scale of the reception left a strong impression on the players, with Wallace Sititi comparing the atmosphere to a major fight night.
“It felt like we were walking out for a boxing match or something. It was just incredible and thank you to everyone who came out,” he said.
Fellow All Black Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa admitted he was overwhelmed by the support, describing the experience as “a dream” and something he never thought would happen.
For Anton Segner, the welcome was particularly special as he experiences South Africa with the All Blacks for the first time.
“The support so far has been overwhelming, in the best way possible,” he said. “To see how the people here get behind us, it almost feels like we're home.”