As anticipation builds for the Springboks’ highly anticipated clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday, 22 August, Pretoria is preparing to once again embrace one of South Africa’s greatest sporting passions: rugby.
For Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, the excitement surrounding the fixture presents an opportunity to stand behind the national team while recognising the important role that rugby continues to play in Pretoria’s identity and community.
Ahead of the big match, Menlyn will host a Springbok Legends Breakfast at The Barnyard Theatre on Thursday, 20 August, bringing together some of the names who have helped shape South African rugby. The event will feature Springbok legends Victor Matfield, Steven Kitshoff and Ray Mordt, with former Springbok Breyton Paulse as host.
The breakfast forms part of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour, creating a platform to celebrate the history, personalities and enduring passion behind one of world rugby’s most celebrated rivalries.
Pretoria: a city behind the Boks
Rugby is deeply embedded in the fabric of Pretoria. With Loftus Versfeld serving as one of South Africa’s most iconic rugby stadiums and a long-standing stronghold of the Springboks and Bulls, the city has cultivated a particularly strong connection to the sport.
For Menlyn, supporting the Springboks ahead of the clash is therefore about more than the match itself. It is about recognising a shared passion within the community that Menlyn has served for decades.
“Pretoria is proudly a rugby city and we know how deeply this sport resonates with the community around us,” says Nisha Kemraj, General Manager of Menlyn Park Shopping Centre. “As Menlyn, we are firmly behind the Springboks and wanted to mark this important sporting moment by bringing together some of the legends who have contributed to the legacy of South African rugby.”
The event also speaks to the changing role of the modern shopping centre and the expectations of today’s consumers.
“Retail is changing and shopping centres have an increasingly important role to play beyond the traditional transaction,” says Kemraj. “People want destinations where they can experience, connect and engage with things that matter to them. At Menlyn, we are focused on creating a lifestyle destination that reflects the interests and passions of our community, and sport is undoubtedly a significant part of that.”
As one of Pretoria’s leading lifestyle destinations, Menlyn continues to explore opportunities to create meaningful experiences around the cultural, sporting and social moments that bring communities together.
The Springbok Legends Breakfast is a reflection of that approach – celebrating rugby, recognising its legends and proudly lending Menlyn’s voice to the anticipation building across Pretoria ahead of Saturday’s encounter.
“For us, it is a privilege to be able to support the Springboks and celebrate the spirit of the game in our own way,” Kemraj adds. “We wish the team all the very best for Saturday. Pretoria will certainly be behind them.”
With the countdown to the clash now underway, the message from the capital is clear: Pretoria is behind the Boks.