Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus shared a special message with the Proteas after their latest historic achievement.
After winning the first Test against Pakistan, the Proteas officially qualified for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final, set to be played in England next year – and Springbok boss Rassie Erasmus was quick to join a chorus of praise.
Temba Bavuma’s team secured their WTC place in the decisive match of the 2023-2025 cycle when they beat Pakistan by two wickets in the first Test of their ongoing two-match series, which concluded at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday.
The result ensured they extended their advantage at the summit by securing their seventh win in 11 Tests. The WTC Final is scheduled for 11–15 June 2025 at Lord’s Cricket Ground in England.
Rassie Erasmus is an avid Proteas fan, and he shared a cleverly worded message, stating: “Julle weet wat ons weet! (you know what we know). Jaaaa man!”
It was a play on words, with the Springboks having adopted the mantra of UFC super star Dricus du Plessis, who coined the catchphrase ‘hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie’.
It speaks to the fighting spirit that is synonymous with South Africans, and Erasmus has clearly recognised that the Proteas do know what that is all about.
The Proteas’ second Test against Pakistan starts on Friday at Newlands, but their place in the WTC final is already
“We stand extremely proud of our Proteas Men after their exceptional achievement of qualifying for the World Test Championship Final,” CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki said.
“Their achievement is a monumental one and illustrates the progress they have made over the past 18 months, so a hearty congratulations to coach Shukri Conrad and his team.
“Journeys such as these, over a period of time, are never easy, but Temba and his team have shown outstanding determination, commitment to excellence, and hunger to succeed as they reached the top of the world ranking.
“We can now look forward to an exciting six months ahead as our boys prepare to take the field at the home of cricket in London.”
The Proteas began their journey in the 2023-2025 cycle with a drawn (1-1) home series against India last summer, before suffering their sole loss of the cycle (2-0) in an away series in New Zealand. They then won (1-0) a two-match series in the West Indies last August, before claiming arguably their most impressive result with a fine series win (2-0) in Bangladesh.
They then returned home for the current summer, which began with a double victory (2-0) over Sri Lanka, prior to the ongoing series, which they now lead 1-0 with one match to play.
“I would like to congratulate coach Shuks and his coaching staff, as well as captain Temba and all the players who contributed to this wonderful feat,” Director of National Teams and High Performance, Enoch Nkwe added.
“We must remember that this was the first full cycle for our coach, and to have done as well as he has is a great accomplishment. The entire team faced many challenges along the way; from injuries to personal circumstances and so much more. But they have stood the test of time.”
