-
ESPN staff
Rassie Erasmus has donated his “lucky shirt” as part of South Africa Rugby’s R32-12 campaign that is raising funds to feed people in need during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
Erasmus, who guided the Springboks to Rugby World Cup glory in Japan, is donating the shirt and a talk to pay for food parcels and soup kitchens.
“This is a superb cause and I am grateful to be able to play a small part in trying to help those who have been hit hardest by this pandemic,” Erasmus said in a SA Rugby release.
“The story of the white shirt started in 2018: Every time we lost, I changed my clothes, and unfortunately that happened quite often.
“But fortunately in 2019, I only had to do it once, so it’s definitely my lucky shirt, and I’ve decided to ‘retire’ the shirt I wore last year in Japan as part of a prize in the #StrongerTogether for R32-12 campaign.”
SA Rugby announced on Monday that it had raised more than R500,000 ($28,500) in the first six days of the campaign, in which raffle tickets are being sold for R32-12 each.
The price of the tickets recognises the scoreline by which South Africa defeated England in Japan to win the Rugby World Cup for the third time. In return, those who buy tickets have a chance to win memorabilia from the tournament donated by the players; there is a total of 44 prizes (32 + 12) to be won.
Prizes from players revealed so far include a match jersey worn by Springboks captain Siya Kolisi in a Rugby World Cup pool match, Pieter-Steph du Toit’s presentation tracksuit, match shorts and socks from Lukhanyo Am, Frans Malherbe’s tracksuit and backpack, and Damian De Allende’s gym kit.
Furthermore, SA Rugby is also offering a personalized Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour to the house of one lucky winner, and a seat on the Springboks team bus to one of their domestic Tests.
“When I made the call for the squad to make donations, they were all in within a matter of hours – boots and all,” Erasmus said when the campaign was announced.
“We talked a bit last year [during the Rugby World Cup] about what pressure was — not having a job, having a family member murdered — and now this pandemic has put millions out of work and left as many struggling every day to put food on the table.”
South Africa has enforced one of strictest lockdowns in the world, which has taken a heavy toll on the economy, already in recession before COVID-19 struck, and increased daily hardships for millions of poor.
The country has recorded 481 coronavirus deaths, with 23,615 confirmed cases, the health ministry reported on Monday.
– Information from Reuters was used in this report.