Determined to use the world stage to unite our nation, Nelson Mandela rallied international support to bring the Rugby World Cup to South Africa in 1995.
Rugby is a sport of brute force and as such, rugby symbolised apartheid opression to many black africans but this didn’t deter Madiba.
He addressed a gathering of clearly disinterested black South Africans, wearing a Springbok cap, ” You see this cap that I am wearing? I ask you all to stand behind them because they are our pride”.
The Springboks visited Robin Island to see where Madiba spent 27 years and some were moved to tears. The team began to realise that what they were doing was so much bigger than just playing a game.
You will not understand how big this one man was to the game of rugby until you watch this.
Beneath the stadium where the Springboks prepared for the final, Madiba walked in to the change room, wearing a Sprinkbok jersey! Francois Pienaar said that never in their wildest dreams did they ever expect Madiba to wear a Sprinbok over his heart.
This icon, Nelson Mandela, is bigger than the game!
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