Springbok coach Johan Rassie Erasmus leads festive Christmas morning walk in Blouberg

A large festive crowd joined Springbok coach Johan Rassie Erasmus on a Christmas morning walk along the Blouberg coastline on Thursday, turning an informal idea into a growing community tradition.

The 6km coastal walk, which started at 6am outside the Doodles Beachfront Restaurant in Bloubergstrand, drew hundreds of locals and supporters eager to begin Christmas Day with exercise, social connection and ocean views.

Erasmus extended the open invitation earlier this month on social media, encouraging anyone feeling lonely or simply keen to join to come along.

Participants walked about 3km out and back along the promenade, with many sharing photos and videos of the event online. What began as a small gathering last year has quickly evolved into a festive highlight, blending rugby fandom with a health-focused, inclusive celebration.

Speaking during the walk, Erasmus said the idea came together casually. “We started this last year. The night before Christmas a few friends said let's go for a walk so we whatsapped and asked if anyone was lonely or if there were families that want to join,” he said.

“This year, I think we’ve doubled the crowd. There are no rules. We just get together and walk 3km out and 3km back, sign a few autographs, take a few photos and everyone just does their thing so there aren’t really a lot of arrangements,” he added.

Erasmus, who lives in Blouberg, said the turnout reflected the event’s broad appeal. “I live in Blouberg so I know a lot of people here. I also know that there are a lot of people who aren’t from Blouberg who drove here.”

He said the walk offered a rare chance to connect directly with supporters. “It’s great to mingle with the people on the ground which I don’t often get a chance to do,” Erasmus said. “Very often the people are out there on the pavilion or even stuck at home and can’t really get to us. I just want to say thank you to all of them.”

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