Ecstatic fans, who had hoped for a holiday on Monday to bask in the victory of their rugby heroes, will have to wait more than a month to get their wish.

“I know many of us would like to have the holiday now. But we should all agree to give our students time to concentrate on their exams and celebrate afterwards,” he added.

South Africa’s academic year ends in December, and students in the last year of schooling began their final exams on Monday.

The Boks will arrive back in South Africa on Tuesday to a hero’s welcome, with parades planned in several cities across the country.

Following his praise of the its sports teams, Ramaphosa focused on updating the nation on the progress being made in the country’s economic recovery.

This included developments in tackling ongoing power outages, fighting crime, and wider economic reform.