The station says that this means the traditional red, black and yellow colours of the station will be rebranded green and gold for the duration of the World Cup.

The new colours will feature on all marketing collateral as HOT 102.7FM rolls out a range of initiatives in support of the Boks, says the station. 

"We're proud of our colours and what they mean to the identity of the station, so the decision to rebrand for just the next seven weeks wasn't taken lightly," says Lloyd Madurai, managing director of HOT 102.7FM. "A Rugby World Cup only comes around every four years, and it's just one of the many ways we wanted to show our support for our boys."

The station says that since launching in July 2021, HOT 102.7FM has built a growing audience of loyal listeners by playing the best 'Old Skool' music from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s — with nostalgia a key element for a listenership that largely grew up in these decades. 

With this in mind, there's no piece of music that invokes a sense of rugby nostalgia and fond South African World Cup memories more than the PJ Powers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo version of World in Union from the 1995 tournament, says the station. 

The station says, "It was the soundtrack to that World Cup — what better way to revisit that iconic tournament than by having Powers live in the Bok-branded HOT 1027 Breakfast studio, singing World in Union and celebrating the release of a remixed version of the track in collaboration with DJ Cosher, days before the start of this year's tournament?"

"If you were in the studio right now, you would honestly think kick-off was tonight," says Powers. "These guys have gone all out, and you would think we've already won the World Cup, which is a good thing! We're full of Springboks, we're full of HOT 102.7FM, and we're full of 'Go, South Africa."

The video of Powers singing World in Union in the HOT 1027 Breakfast studio is available on the HOT 102.7FM Facebook.

"We love our nostalgia, and that's why we love playing the very best 'Old Skool' music," says Madurai. "All we need now is for our boys to follow the example of Francois Pienaar, John Smit and Siya Kolisi's squads of 1995, 2007 and 2019 and bring the trophy home again."

According to the station, not only will HOT House be lit up in green and gold for the next seven weeks, but HOT 102.7FM listeners can also look forward to a host of World Cup-related content in the station's featured shows, including:
  • in-studio appearances from some of rugby's biggest names
  • regular updates in its sports bulletins, and
  • a series of World Cup-focussed interviews in Friday evening's HOT Sport 60 with Betway sports show, hosted by Dylan Rogers.

The station concludes that for September and October, HOT 102.7FM's blood will be green and gold.

For more information, visit www.hot1027.co.za. You can also follow HOT 102.7FM on Facebook, X or on Instagram.