The Springboks take on Ireland in the second match of the two-Test series at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday night.
Two-time Rugby World Cup winning boxers Faf de Klerk and Cheslyn Kolbe have collaborated with skincare brand L'Oreal Paris on a brand campaign.
De Klerk will work on L'Oréal Paris' Elvive and Men Expert campaigns, while Kolbe will front the brand's Men Expert campaign.
“It's a real honour to have the opportunity to partner with a brand like L'Oreal Paris, which is synonymous with excellence,” said scrum-half De Klerk.
“The brand resonates with my commitment to looking and feeling great on and off the field.”
Tenacious winger Kolbe said the collaboration was an opportunity to encourage men to spend more time on their appearance and health.
“This campaign is about empowering men to practice self-care and confidence – a message that resonates deeply with me as both an athlete and a person.”
“Their unwavering dedication, palpable passion and genuine integrity perfectly embody the essence of our brand,” says Ayanda McKay, Brand Business Leader, L'Oréal Paris South Africa.
“This campaign is a testament to our commitment to celebrating empowerment, honouring cultural richness and highlighting the importance of self-care for modern people.”
Related article: Siya Kolisi says 'win is important' ahead of second Test against Ireland
Must Win
The Springboks take on Ireland in the second match of the two-Test series at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday night.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said a win was essential to ensure the team finishes the series 2-0.
“We definitely want to win. We're not going into this game with a perspective of being ahead in the series. It's a new game, it's 0-0 for us and it's important for the team to get a win,” Kolisi said.
“We have worked hard as a team and we know how important this game is for both teams. It is their last game of the season and they want to finish on a high so they will definitely come at us even harder than they did last week.”
Related article: Match against Portugal more important for developing game than three-match series against Ireland – Stick
The growth of the game
In previous years such series included three Test matches but World Rugby made major changes to the global calendar this season.
The changes include changing the Incoming Series from a three-match series between two Tier 1 (highest ranked) countries to a two-match series to allow the third match to be against a Tier 2 country.
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick supported World Rugby's decision, saying playing Portugal in the incoming series was more important for the overall development of world rugby than playing three games against Ireland.
“I think the opportunity for Portugal to play the Springbok team is more important for the development of the game (than the three-match series against Ireland),” the former player and coach declared.
“Especially for the so-called second-tier countries. We think it's good for us to continue to support and develop these countries.”
Additional reporting by Ross Roche
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