Toast the champions

With the 2023 Rugby World Cup underway, fans are loving every moment of the celebration planned for them at The Table Bay hotel.

From Friday, 8 September, rugby enthusiasts have been getting behind their favourite teams with specially matched drinks and live game action on TV screens in the hotel’s Union Bar.

Whether you sip a Kir Royale toast to France’s Le Bleus, a Guinness in honour of Ireland’s Green Machine, or raise a Tokyo Mule to the Brave Blossoms of Japan, there is a special beverage for every country.

When the opening whistle blew at the start of the tournament, all patrons in the bar received a free Springbok shooter to celebrate.

The Table Bay’s General Manager Joanne Selby says: “Sun International is a proudly South African company so our blood is 100% green and gold, but as 80% of our guests are international visitors, we will raise our glasses to the success of their nations in the Rugby World Cup!”

Here’s a selection of fine beverages in honour of the competing nations:

Argentina: Los Pumas

Malbec – Red wine marked by profiles of stone fruit, mild chocolate, violet, leather and a sweet tobacco finish.

Australia: Wallaby

Devil’s Peak craft beer

Chile: Los Condores

Old Fashioned – Bourbon, Angostura bitters-soaked sugar cube, cherry, and orange muddles, served on ice.

England: Red and White

Gin and Tonic

Fiji: Flying Fijians

The Perfect Start – Smooth vanilla, tropical-infused cocktail. Malibu rum, vanilla vodka and pineapple juice.

France: Les Bleus

Kir Royale – Crème de Cassis and MCC.

Georgia: Lelos

Grappa

Ireland: Green Machine

Irish coffee

Italy: Azzurri

Elderflower Twist – Aperol, grapefruit and elderflower, shaken cold and served over ice.

Japan: Brave Blossoms

Tokyo Mule – A twist on the classic Moscow Mule.

Namibia: Welwitschias

Windhoek Lager

New Zealand: All Blacks

The Sophie – Passion fruit extracts, vodka, egg white, and lime, topped with Iona Sauvignon Blanc.

Portugal: Lobos

Passionate Affair – Inverroche Gin, passion fruit puree, and grapefruit.

Romania: Oaks

KWV Brandy

Samoa: Manu Samoa

Long Island Iced Tea – Gin, vodka, cane, rum and tequila shaken with a sweet and sour mix and topped with coke.

Scotland: The Dark Blue

Whiskey Sour

South Africa: Springboks

Springbok shooter

Tonga: Ikale Tahi

Pina Colada – White rum, and coconut and pineapple extracts.

Uruguay: Los Teros

Shaken or stirred cold with dry vermouth.

Wales: Red Dragons

Prince of Wales – Rye whiskey, crushed ice, a small square of pineapple, a dash of Angostura bitters, lemon peel, a few drops of maraschino, and MCC.