This Friendship Day, Castle Lager gives us a front-row seat to something more powerful than a try-saving tackle… the love and loyalty between the Springboks and their lifelong besties.
South Africa (30 July 2025) – We’ve seen them crush the toughest opponents, lift gold trophies and carry the pride of an entire nation on their backs. But if you take a closer look, beyond the jerseys, the tackles and the thunderous anthems, you’ll find something even stronger holding our Springboks together…
Real, honest-to-goodness friendship.
On International Friendship Day (which just so happens to be today), Castle Lager has released something truly heartwarming: a bite-sized social media doccie called It’s How We’re Made. Featuring Rugby World Cup winners Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe and Ox Nche, it spotlights their “ride-or-dies” and the bonds that shaped the legends we love.
The Bokke are teammates, but they’re also mates in the truest sense of the word. The kind who grew up together, who’ve laughed, cried, shared meals, swapped stories… and in some cases, even matching tattoos.
“It doesn’t matter what, we always have each other’s backs,” says Ox, describing the kind of friendship that doesn’t waver with wins or losses.
Cheslin’s lifelong mate, Lucian, reflects on their journey, saying, “We ended up in the same class and clicked ever since.”
And perhaps one of the most touching moments comes from Damian Willemse, who opens up about the matching ink he shares with his best friend Sentle, “That’s basically him saying don’t worry, I got your back.”
This campaign, proudly brought to life by Castle Lager, reminds us that greatness isn’t just built in the gym or on the field. It’s shaped by the people who walk alongside us, who remind us who we are and what we’re made of.
Castle Lager, long known as The Taste That’s Stood the Test of Time, is leaning into the values that have always bonded South Africans… loyalty, laughter and lifting each other up. Just like the beer is brewed from the finest hops, sun-kissed barley, and golden maize, our heroes are built on the finest ingredients too: trust, love, and friendship.
Thomas Lawrence, Brand Director at Castle Lager, says it best, “We are so used to seeing the Springboks as the Herculean athletes they are, but we want South Africa to see how our heroes are truly made.”
And now, you and your bestie could join in too. As part of the campaign, Castle is giving fans a chance to win a Castle Brewery Tour experience in Cape Town with the Springboks by sharing the ingredients that make up your own friendship. All you need to do is visit Castle Lager’s social media channels for more info.
The Springboks continuously show us that we’re Stronger Together but their friendhships make us believe it to be true.
Watch the doccie below. And maybe give your best mate a call while you’re at it.
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