A rugby coach’s sage words to an under-16 player have us all crying.
South Africa (02 September 2025) – A short clip of an under-16 rugby coach at Lichtenburg High has done what sport so often does in our country – reminded us of the power of being in someone’s corner.
Filmed on the sidelines of a school rugby field, the viral video has gripped South Africans for all the right reasons. A still moment that moved over a million people.
The video shows Lichtenburg High School’s under-16 rugby coach, affectionately known as Mr Bok, speaking to a visibly heartbroken player after a game. Shoulders slumped, eyes down, the boy looked like he was carrying the weight of the world.
But Bok’s words cut through all of that disappointment.
“I still believe in you 110%. Keep your confidence, that’s where the magic is,” he starts.
We all have off days, he says, it’s what we do afterwards that matters.
“Are we going to allow that off day to keep bothering you inside your heart…or are we going to turn that wheel now, my boy? Let’s turn that wheel. I believe in you.”
Bok reminded the player of the difficult road they’ve walked together this year, adding that he has proved him wrong.
“You’ll always have Mr Bok’s backing,” he said, before the two seal the moment with a hug that has half of South Africa wiping away tears.
Marco Jansen Looks Back on His Ridiculous One-Handed Catch
Kabelo Mulaudzi Celebrates Heritage Day With Joburg 10K VictoryMr Bok guided his player gently back to perspective, just as mentors should do.
It’s the kind of talk that extends far beyond the rugby field.
The comments under the video tell their own story. Parents, former players, and everyday people poured in with gratitude, not only for Bok but for every teacher and coach who has taken the time to tell a child, ‘I believe in you.’
One parent wrote: “And one day…years after this moment, when you’re a man and life keeps throwing challenges at you and it’s difficult to find the strength to keep going. It’s the coaches’ words that carry you, all those coaches who said ‘dig deep’, ‘keep going’, ‘dont give up’, ‘ I believe in you’…those are the words that make all the difference. Rugby is not just the minutes on the field. It’s the lifetime of fight it puts in a boy…”
The viral video has unlocked core memories. Coaches who stepped in as father figures. Teachers whose words still echo decades later. One person admitted he’d watched it five times because it felt like Bok was speaking to him.
Perhaps that’s the whole point.
It’s not often that a rugby clip says so much about who we are as a country. But this one does. It’s not about scores, or trophies, or the game that didn’t go the way we hoped. It’s about the deep respect between coach and player, the reminder that even in tough moments, someone is always in your corner.
We all deserve someone who believes in us.
Watch the video:
by 
