So just how highly valued is the Springbok jersey?

The Springboks are the leading team in world rugby and the value of their famed jersey has skyrocketed. The exact figure may shock you.

The Springboks celebrate. Image: SA Rugby website

Over the last six years, the Springboks have established themselves as one of the greatest sports team of the modern era, winning back-to-back World Cup titles, the Rugby Championship (twice) and a British & Irish Lions in the most challenging circumstances.

It’s no surprise that this on-field success has also led to a surge in brand value, commercial opportunities and sponsorship benefits.

Just recently, a research study by Brand Finance Africa rated the Springboks as the leading sports brand in South Africa, with SA Rugby breaking into the country’s top 100 most valuable brands with an estimated value of R2.2bn.

According to the latest report from a Sunday newspaper, SA Rugby’s sponsorship income has nearly doubled from R420m to R800m in the past year, while the demand for Springbok merchandise has gone through the roof.

When it comes to the famed green and gold Springbok jersey specifically, it’s suggested that this value has burgeoned from R78 million to R160 million since 2019.

The Springboks’ season is already underway

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his satisfaction on Tuesday with the strong start to the first alignment camp of the year.

The camp kicked off with a morning gym session followed by a series of boardroom sessions throughout the day where Erasmus, Springbok General Manager Charles Wessels and a few of the coaches presented their plans and expectations of the players for the season.

The alignment camp followed a fruitful coaches’ workshop where they each zoomed into their areas of expertise and identified the aspects of the game in which the team could improve this season, which includes two more alignment camps followed by a training camp in June, before the Springboks kick into game mode in July.

“It was fantastic to see how the new players, those who have been at alignment camps before, and other players who have been in the set-up for years, all shared in the excitement of being invited to the camp and soaked in the information and structures we shared with them,” Erasmus commented.

“Wednesday’s session will follow a similar structure, with the other coaches presenting their plans within their specialist areas, so we are confident that the players will leave the camp with a clear picture of what we expect of them and what it will take to be part of the playing squad this year.”