South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins has dismissed accusations of racism in the squad selection process ahead of the World Cup.
The Springboks have been criticised by some for picking just nine non-white players in their 31-man squad, and a small political party even applied for a court order to stop the team from making the trip to England.
Hoskins has moved quickly to defuse the situation and issued a rallying call for support as Heyneke Meyer's side bid to win a third title.
"The idea of an 'exclusive', 'white-dominated' game is frankly laughable," Hoskins claimed in a statement. "We fully realise that to stay relevant and vibrant in our country we need to evolve.
"I would urge all supporters to demonstrate their true feelings towards the team, in the way that the team shows its loyalty to our country - by wearing their Springbok jerseys to the shop, the office, the factory, the mine or on the farm on Friday."
South Africa start their campaign against Japan in Brighton next Saturday.
Callum Mulvihill
