Sean Fitzpatrick reveals classy Ardie Savea gesture before Springboks showdown
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Legend.
Ardie Savea produced a classy moment involving legendary All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick shortly before New Zealand’s impressive victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park.
The former All Blacks skipper had been given the job of holding the New Zealand flag after walking out with the trophy, but admitted afterwards that he wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to do once the anthem began.
That was until Savea intervened.
According to 1News rugby reporter Andrew Saville, who caught up with Fitzpatrick the following morning, the current All Blacks captain reached across and pulled Fitzpatrick into the line alongside the players.
Fitzpatrick responded by grabbing Savea tightly around the waist, with the 63-year-old joking about how firmly he had held onto the current skipper.
The emotion of the occasion was so strong that Fitzpatrick even considered joining the All Blacks for the Haka once the anthem finished, before ultimately deciding against it!
The moment carried extra significance given Fitzpatrick’s history in South Africa.
He captained the famous 1996 All Blacks, dubbed ‘The Incomparables’, who became the first New Zealand side to win a Test series on South African soil.
Thirty years later, Savea and the current All Blacks are attempting to repeat that achievement during the four-Test Greatest Rivalry series.
Fitzpatrick’s presence alongside the current players therefore provided a fitting link between the two generations, with Savea ensuring the former captain was part of the moment rather than simply watching from alongside them.
It proved to be the perfect start to the series for New Zealand, with Savea subsequently leading the All Blacks to a superb 33-16 victory at Ellis Park.
The result gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage as they continue their bid to emulate Fitzpatrick and the history-making All Blacks of 1996.
