An English rugby fan was left smiling after Ellis Park’s pre-match entertainment celebrated English culture before kick-off.
Johannesburg, South Africa (09 July 2026) – If there was one thing England supporters weren’t expecting before kick-off at Ellis Park, it certainly wasn’t to be welcomed with a full-blown celebration of England.
While the Springboks and England were busy putting the finishing touches on their warm-ups ahead of Saturday’s Test, the stadium entertainment team stole the spotlight with a tribute to British pop culture that left one English fan thoroughly impressed.
Rugby content creator Oli Johnson, better known as OJ Rugby on social media, couldn’t hide his delight after witnessing the pre-match spectacle.
Sharing a video of the performance, he wrote: “Honestly, I have never seen a rugby team get their match-day entertainment so right until coming to South Africa.”
Instead of simply rolling out dancers and music, organisers leaned fully into England’s cultural icons.
The field transformed into a British-themed stage, complete with performers dressed as Elton John behind a piano, the iconic King’s Guards, James Bond, The Beatles, Ed Sheeran, and even the Spice Girls, much to the delight of the crowd.
No sporting event in South Africa would be complete without adding a local twist; the performance wrapped up with Shakira’s Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), bringing the stadium to life before the first whistle.
The clip quickly found an audience online, with South Africans enjoying the fact that the visitors received such a warm.
One comment summed it up perfectly:
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The rugby might have delivered plenty of entertainment, but it seems the entertainment before kick-off had already won over at least one England supporter.
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