Low flyover steals the show as Springboks beat All Blacks in Cape Town

While the All Blacks whine about the Boks’ scrums, the rest of the world (Springbok fans included) talks about ‘That Flyover’. 

The Boks won 33-26 at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium on Saturday, 29 August, but two Airlink jets have stolen most of the post-match conversation. 

In rugby terms, then, the All Blacks came third, the Springboks second and Airlink’s flyover took first place.

Yes, the flyover won the day before anybody had even kicked a ball.

And if anything could divide rugby fans faster than a controversial drop goal in the final minute, it was this low flyover by a passenger aircraft over a packed stadium.

It divided not only the country, but virtually the entire world on social media, from Facebook to TikTok and X.

On the one hand, you have aviation experts who swear it was a mathematical masterpiece of precision and planning. On the other, you have those who believe the country came within a whisker of a massive disaster.

Since then, there is only one thing more dangerous than that flyover itself: Having a public opinion about it, no matter which side you choose!

FLYOVER LEAVES RUGBY IN THE SHADOWS

Two Airlink Embraer jets swept over DHL Stadium before kick-off. One wore the green Springboks livery, while the other represented the All Blacks in black. 

Immediately, the cameras started rolling, and rugby suddenly found itself sharing the spotlight with aviation.

The footage prompted reactions from Cape Town to the United States to Australia. Fox News called it “one of the wildest flyovers ever”. The New York Post suggested it could have been catastrophic. Sky Sports kept things simpler, calling it “mighty low”.

That is quite an achievement for two passenger aircraft that were technically there to advertise a rugby rivalry.

THE FLYOVER WAS REALLY, REALLY LOW

Flightradar24 recorded a lowest ADS-B altitude of 50 feet at standard pressure. After correcting for local pressure, it estimated the aircraft at 205 to 210 feet above sea level.

DHL Stadium stands about 164 feet high. That put the aircraft roughly 41 to 46 feet, or 12.5 to 14 metres, above the roof.

For perspective, that is not much room when the aircraft is carrying passengers rather than doing a stunt in a film.

Airlink said the flight involved careful planning and rehearsal. It said the aircraft flew at about 150 knots, with no less than six experienced pilots on board.

AIRLINK GETS THE LAST LAUGH

Online reactions ranged from “Brilliant flying” to “Eish”. 

One Facebook user simply asked, “What match?” 

Another laconic reply suggested, “If our Government could run the country as well as those pilots were flying, our precious country would be flying!!!”
These may be the best summaries of the situation.

Airlink said the flyover received guidance, approval and support from the South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services.

It also said flight data confirmed the aircraft stayed within approved and rehearsed safety limits.

The timing could hardly have been better for Airlink. The airline is the official domestic carrier for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry 2026 Tour. It is flying the teams and personnel between matches.

The first flyover took place at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 22 August. Nobody appears to have expected the Cape Town version to become the main event.

So, for the near future, the Boks can keep the 33-26 win. The All Blacks can debate the scrums. 

Airlink, meanwhile, can enjoy the publicity.

The flyover has done what every sponsor dreams of doing. It got people talking long after the final whistle.

Worldwide, it seems, the question is no longer simply who won the Test.

It is: “What do you think about those planes?”