Damian Willemse (Twitter)

• The Springboks reigned victorious in Paris on Saturday evening to lift their fourth Rugby World Cup title.
• South Africa defeated New Zealand in a tightly contested final at Stade de France, as the Boks prevailed 12-11.
• News24 Sport looks at all the viral moments that graced our social media timeline during and after the epic encounter. 
• For more sports news, go to the News24 Sport front page.

It’s been a Rugby World Cup to remember, with the Springboks making history by clinching their fourth title.

Saturday’s final at Stade de France brought a fantastic end to the tournament as the Boks clinched a nail-biting 12-11 victory over the All Blacks.

READ | Springboks, World Cup trophy returning home on Tuesday … coming to a city near YOU!

The Springboks’ campaign included some controversy but ended with the greatest reward at the end of the global showpiece for Siya Kolisi’s charges.

We take a look at the most viral moments following the Boks defending their World Cup title:

Kolisi hugging Kolbe

It was a rollercoaster 30th birthday for Kolbe, who was sent to the sin bin for the final minutes of the Rugby World Cup final.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock and the All Blacks  on the attack, Kolbe was penalised for a deliberate knock-on.

A distraught Kolbe couldn’t watch the final minutes of play from his seat, sitting first with his hands covering his eyes before pulling his jersey over his head.

It captured how every Springbok fan felt as they waited for the final minutes to pass by. 

However, much to the delight of all, the Springboks successfully defended their title and hung onto victory over the All Blacks by a single point.

Kolisi immediately headed to Kolbe before wrapping him in a massive hug, reassuring the winger that he hadn’t let his team down.

Nyakane brings the moves

Celebrations occurred as soon as the final whistle went and continued on the field while the Springboks awaited the William Webb Ellis trophy. 

After receiving their gold medal and lifting the cup, Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane burst into a dance that captured how every South African felt.

In a display of genuine South African spirit, Nyakane spontaneously performed an infectious dance that went viral, reaching over four million views on the Rugby World Cup’s official page.

South Africans celebrating in the streets

Ecstatic South Africans celebrated well into Saturday night following the Springboks’ victory. 

Into the early hours of the morning, people were partying in the streets as a wave of jubilation spread across the nation.

Thousands of Springbok supporters  took to the streets to celebrate the famous victory, singing in unison, chanting and dancing.

Rassie!

In a special moment in the Boks’ changing room after their emphatic win, the whole Springbok squad huddled in a circle and sang for director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus.

The Springboks were joined by Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, who is South African-born.

The return of the speedo

Faf de Klerk went viral when he stripped down into his undies while meeting Prince Harry following the Boks’ 2019 triumph in Yokohama.

The Springbok scrumhalf had become a national treasure, and when the Springboks went back-to-back in Paris, the iconic speedo had to resurface.

As South Africa celebrated their record fourth World Cup title, De Klerk did not disappoint and wore his iconic South African flag underwear for another special ‘meet and greet’.

This time, a half-naked De Klerk met 31-Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, where the duo even shared an embrace.

READ | Faf de Klerk’s iconic SA briefs win a second Rugby World Cup and meet tennis legend Roger Federer

Federer came to support the Springboks in Paris, with the tennis legend proudly wearing a South African scarf.

The day after!

It wasn’t all a dream! Damian Willemse woke up cuddling the World Cup trophy the day after their famous victory.

Willemse became the youngest to hold two World Cup-winning medals at just 25.

In what was similar to how Lionel Messi celebrated Argentina’s FIFA World Cup title, Willemse took to Instagram to wish South Africans a ‘Good Morning’.