Bungling burglars who broke into South Africa Rugby Union’s offices walked out with five signed Springbok jerseys and a haul of laptops but left behind the World Cup the country’s players won last month.
In video footage, which has been shared on X by South African journalist Yusuf Abramjee of the break-in on Monday, one of the thieves puts his gloved hand on the trophy, lifting it slightly, before moving to the cupboards beneath it.
The burglary took place at the hilltop office complex in Cape Town’s northern suburbs where the union is among the tenants but, while police were initially concerned that the Webb Ellis Cup could have been stolen, a South Africa Rugby Union spokesperson has reported to the media that all its trophies are safe.
South Africa won the Rugby World Cup on 28 October after beating New Zealand in Paris and became the first nation to win the tournament for the fourth time.
