“We have so many problems in our country,” said Springbok captain, Siya Kolisi, in his post-match speech after winning the Rugby World Cup final against England on Saturday in Japan.

“Hope is not something you talk or tweet about. Hope is when you play well and people watch on Saturday at a nice barbeque and feel good after, no matter your political or your religious differences,” said the Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus.

Amongst issues the captain and his coach mentioned as their motivation to win the Rugby World Cup is poverty, crime, and the culture of violence, striking the country from all corners.

Erasmus said the 23 - 13 loss to the world cup defenders New Zealand in their opening match of the Rugby World Cup, did not bring his team pressure, instead playing for a country with such baffling issues did.

“Pressure is one of your close relatives being murdered,” Erasmus said.

While many took to social media to celebrate the 31-12 victory that took place in Japan, it seemed like not everyone was entirely on the same ‘nation unity’ wave as many South Africans. The spokesperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, sparked a Twitter uproar with a comment that divided the social media platform. His comment read: “Congratulations to Siya Kolisi, the rest go get your congratulations from Prince Harry”. The outspoken Ntsiki Mazwai  also posted a video on Twitter, saying the “Springbok team did not represent her because of its demographics.”

EWN reports Ndlozi’s faced a lot of backlash for the tweet and some went as far as saying that his tweet was dividing the nation. But some came to Nldozi’s defence, asking how the EFF member was dividing a country "that was never united to begin with".

OFM News/Marvin Ntsane