Young rugby fans will lead Boks onto the field on Gqeberha Test weekend

As the Springbok men’s and women’s teams prepare for a thrilling rugby weekend in Gqeberha – with the women set to take on Canada and the men facing Italy – two lucky young boys will be living out their rugby dreams in front of thousands of fans.

Thanks to a recent Rugby South Africa competition inviting mothers to enter their children as potential match-day mascots, eight-year-olds Johannes Barnardt from Gqeberha and Lingomso Makananda from Cape Town will have the honour of running hand-in-hand with the national team captains as the squads take the field.

For Johannes, the news came as a complete surprise. His mom, Lezane Barnardt, spotted the competition on Facebook on the final day and entered him on a whim – then promptly forgot about it. Two days later, while attending to a client, she received a call.

“I never answer calls when I’m with a client, but something told me to pick up,” she said. “Thank goodness I did! When I heard he had won, I was so excited, the client was excited – we were all just celebrating!”

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Johannes initially looked at his mom in disbelief. “I didn’t even know she entered me!” he said. But once the excitement sank in, “that’s all he started speaking about”, Barnardt shared.

For the Barnardt family, the moment carries extra meaning. They recently moved to a new area where rugby isn’t offered at school. “I miss playing, and my friends,” Johannes admitted. “So now I get to run out with my rugby heroes – that’s amazing.” His mom, dad, Igin and three-year-old brother Brian will all be in the stands cheering him on.

In Cape Town, Lingomso is equally excited about running onto the pitch, especially with his hero, Siya Kolisi. “I love him so much, he’s so cool and really good at rugby! I’m so excited,” he said.

His mother, Sivu Makananda, recalled how stunned he was when she broke the news. “He was dumbstruck. That’s the same reaction I got when I told him he was a top achiever at school,” she laughed. “He’s an extroverted child, but when it’s something really special, his reaction builds slowly.”

Makananda rallied friends and family to enter on Lingomso’s behalf. “It truly takes a village,” she said. “We can’t wait to travel to the lovely Gqeberha and share this experience with him.”

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Also making an appearance this weekend will be the official Bokke Impi, Sibusiso Kotelo, whose imposing presence is as memorable to many as the national anthem. This will be his first time with the team in Gqeberha.

“I’ve heard so much about the rugby culture there, and I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself,” he said. “People say the stadium is one of the most beautiful in the country.”

Kotelo, who became the official Impi in 2024, described the experience as exhilarating. “It’s sheer adrenaline, absolutely breathtaking as you step out and hear thousands cheering.”

For him, the role goes far beyond performance. “My favourite part is the people. It’s bumping into someone at the mall who wants a photo, or an elderly fan saying your run-out means as much to them as the anthem. That’s powerful.”

And yes, the Impi must train, too. “It’s all about the abs and popping muscles,” he laughed. “But you warm up fast. The cold doesn’t stand a chance against the energy of the crowd.

“This role is an honour I wear with pride. To help introduce the most iconic team in the world – it’s something I’ll treasure for life.” DM