The Springbok Rugby World Cup squad has put up cherished mementos in what may just be rugby’s biggest-ever raffle with all proceeds going to hunger alleviation charities, Food Forward SA and Gift of the Givers.

And R32-12? The campaign has been built around the score in the Rugby World Cup final in November, in which the Springboks defeated England, 32-12. To find out more on the campaign, click here, or you can head straight to Computicket to buy.

In all there’ll be 44 prizes (32 + 12), the campaign will run for 44 days, and if fans help the Springboks do the supporting and buy 100 000 tickets that’ll be R3,212m for food parcels and soup kitchens in this time of dire need.

Individuals and companies wishing to make a straightforward donation to the campaign can do so by direct payment into a dedicated FNB account – account number 62851652638; branch code 210554; swift code: FIRNZAJJ.

“When I made the call for the squad to make donations, they were all in within a matter of hours – boots and all!” said Rassie Erasmus, SA’s Director of Rugby.

“We talked a bit last year about what pressure was – not having a job, having a family member murdered – and now this pandemic has put millions out of work and left as many struggling every day to put food on the table.

“All year round we ask South Africans to support us in different ways. Our campaign last year was called #StrongerTogether and we believed it. We said, if we stood together, we were stronger as a nation. Well now’s the time to put those words into action and for the Springboks to do the supporting.”

SA Rugby has partnered with South Africa’s largest food redistribution agency, Food Forward SA, and disaster relief experts, Gift of the Givers, to ensure that every cent raised goes straight to the front line in the war against hunger.

Managing Director of Food Forward SA, Andy du Plessis said: “We are honoured to be selected as one of SA Rugby’s two beneficiary partners at a time when there’s an estimated 30 million South Africans requiring food in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis.

“While the scale of the challenge is daunting, since launching our R50m COVID19 Appeal to scale-up our distribution network, we are distributing 250,000 food parcels to over 1005 Beneficiary Organisations each month, which directly benefits more than 1,5m vulnerable people.

“Each food parcel, consisting of a variety of non-perishable groceries and fresh produce, provides a family with food essentials for three to four weeks (depending on household size). For every R50 received, FoodForward SA is able to provide the equivalent of two meals per day to a hungry person, for a month.”

Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, said: “Hunger has become a greater challenge than Covid-19. Our teams witness the queues, the anxiety of uncertainty, of not knowing whether you are a fortunate recipient of this dignity restoring food aid, a R350 package that stands between you and starvation.

“They witness the desperation, intuitively aware that hungry children, physically and mentally challenged family members and the elderly are waiting patiently and expectantly at home for some Manna to quell the hunger pangs but alas, there just simply isn't enough to go round as millions, including the middle class, are in dire straits.

“It is at such times when you need that lifeline, the announcement that SA Rugby, its management and team, are throwing their weight behind your initiative, your heart and soul lights up. Stronger Together, a second time, but this time the crisis is far greater than we ever envisaged as a nation,” added Dr Sooliman.

Each day for the next 44 days, SA Rugby will reveal a new prize on its website www.springboks.rugby and on its social media channels.

The launch day of the raffle saw Springbok captain Siya Kolisi put a Rugby World Cup final jersey in the prize pool as a highly significant contribution to the campaign.

“I have seen up close the really bad state many people are in through the work of my foundation, so when coach Rassie explained what they were planning to do, I had no hesitation,” said Kolisi.

“I went hungry when I was a kid, but it was nothing as bad as some people are suffering right now. We might not raise millions, but you don’t know how much it means to each single person to have one proper meal a day – it could save their lives right now.

“I really hope people get behind us for the main reason of the campaign – to feed the hungry – as well as having the chance of winning something special from one of the squad.”

A new raffle prize will be revealed each day with the last offering to be revealed on 1 July. The draw will be made by PwC one week later. Click here to enter the raffle.