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The New Zealand All Blacks have won South Africans’ hearts by using local music in their social media posts during the ongoing “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” tour against the Springboks. The All Blacks’ social media team has shared several Instagram reels featuring iconic South African tracks, such as Mandoza’s Nkalakatha and Kwesta’s Spirit, even incorporating Xhosa and Zulu words into their captions. In one video set to Kwesta’s Spirit, the team captioned the post using the Xhosa/Zulu word phambili (meaning forward, onward, or ahead) alongside the phrase “we move forward”. The Springboks and All Blacks are in Johannesburg for their third Test match at FNB Stadium on Saturday, having split the first two matches of the series. New Zealand won the first Test at Ellis Park Stadium, while SA claimed the second in Cape Town. Looking ahead to the upcoming clash in Johannesburg, the All Blacks posted a video of players disembarking from a plane to Mandoza’s Nkalakatha, captioned: “Jozi, we are back. One last game on African soil.” Social media users responded warmly to the posts, with many praising the healthy spirit of competition. One Instagram commenter joked: “At this rate, New Zealand will be an extended province.” Rather than calling it “the greatest rivalry”, Instagram user Dwayne Konig described it as “the greatest love affair”. Other users found humour in the charm offensive, suggesting the All Blacks seem a bit too comfortable on African soil and were “weaponising ubuntu” as a distraction for the next match. Thalengo Dwangu commended the All Blacks’ marketing team amid the controversy surrounding the Airlink flyover in Cape Town. “The All Blacks are basically saying, ‘That’s your beef, we’re good!’ They arrived with confidence, embraced the love of South African fans, and let Airlink celebrate the rivalry without making it toxic.” Dwangu also praised the mutual respect between the teams, adding: “Competition doesn’t have to mean hostility. Sometimes, it’s simply respect, confidence, humor, and good sportsmanship.” Supporter Aliyaah Arnolds praised the creativity of the team’s social media output: “As a proud Springbok supporter, I must give the admin his/her flowers! It’s been such a pleasure watching our greatest rivals’ (or lovers’) posts. I have the utmost respect for the ABs! You guys are always welcome here, but please leave Sister Bethina — that one is sacred.” Many others chimed in to praise the administrator’s clever strategy for winning local supporters’ love, with some even suggesting the Springboks’ media team could learn a thing or two from them. Former All Blacks flyhalf Lima Sopoaga, who is currently managing digital content and media host duties on tour, posted a video from the top of Table Mountain thanking the host nation. “It’s such a special time to be here,” Sopoaga said. “What I want to talk about is rugby’s greatest rivalry. Obviously, we’re here for that, but I actually think this is rugby’s greatest tour. As a fan, it’s been so special to see all the Kiwis who have come here for the first time speaking so highly of your country. “What I want to say to South Africans is: thank you for opening your homes, your hearts, and our eyes to this beautiful country you call home. People have been raving about it — enjoying the food, the camaraderie, and the banter. We’ll see you again in Joburg [this weekend]. Thank you for allowing us into your special country. It’s a beautiful place with beautiful people, and we love you.” TimesLIVE