Springboks set for rematch of day that ‘changed South Africa forever’

It remains the most iconic image in rugby history. In fact, it has legitimate claim to be up there with the likes of Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston, Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s black power salutes on the Olympic podium and Diego Maradona leaping above Peter Shilton for his ‘Hand of God’ moment as one of the most iconic photos in all of sport.

Nelson Mandela shaking hands with Francois Pienaar and handing him the 1995 Rugby World Cup after a South Africa victory over New Zealand in front of 63,000 people at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

If a picture is normally worth a thousand words, this one was worth considerably more and carried a greater power than any speech.

Mandela, the Black freedom fighter turned president of a divided nation, openly and joyously supporting his country at rugby – the traditionally Afrikaner sport that had historically seen Black South Africans cheering for the opposition.

Mandela wearing a South African rugby jersey and cap, both of which were adorned with a springbok, formerly the very symbol of apartheid, rallying the entire nation – Black and white – around the team.

Pienaar, the blond Afrikaner captain almost disbelievingly receiving the trophy from a president wearing his No 6 on the back of his jersey, helping provide one of South Africa’s most enduring and defining images of racial unity at the most important time.

“When the final whistle blew South Africa changed for ever. It’s incomprehensible,” said Pienaar in an interview with The Observer back in 2013.

The previous six weeks had seen the Springboks build through a home Rugby World Cup – the first they had competed in since the end of the international exile and sporting boycotts they were under, removed following the fall of apartheid, Mandela’s release from prison and the first free, democratic elections open to citizens of all races in 1994.

The Boks battled their way into the final where they faced their great rivals, heavily-fancied New Zealand, led by the best player in the world Jonah Lomu. But South Africa dug deep and Joel Stransky’s drop goal in extra-time handed them an unlikely 15-12 win that sent the stadium into raptures and meant so much more than just a World Cup trophy to the country.

“During those six weeks what happened in this country was incredible,” reflected Pienaar. “I’m still gobsmacked when I think back to the profound change that happened.

“We started with a great leader with a fantastic vision [Mandela] who realised that sport is important for the Afrikaner white community and to earn their respect and trust. But on…