1995 world rugby cup

Springboks players face the Haka.

South Africa won the match by three points in their first Rugby World Cup Final, which was also the first to require extra time. Unusually, the points were scored by only one player from each team, with Andrew Mehrtens of New Zealand scoring all 12 of the All Blacks points, three penalties and one drop goal and Joel Stransky tallying all 15 points three penalties and two drop goals for the Springboks, including a drop goal in extra time, which sealed the victory and their first ever Rugby World Cup title. The final was contested by the hosts, South Africa, and New Zealand. Both teams finished at the top of their pools, both undefeated in the pool stages. South Africa defeated Western Samoa in the quarter finals, and then France in the semi-finals to reach the final; the All Blacks defeated Scotland in the quarter-finals, and England in the semi-finals, a game in which Jonah Lomu famously scored four tries. Going into the final, New Zealand had led the tournament in points scored, outscoring their opponents —, while South Africa had outscored their opponents — The high scoring All Blacks had been led by Lomu, who had the record for most tries in a world cup match summary.

1995 world rugby cup

The match stands as a hugely symbolic moment in South African history. Apartheid's gross human rights violations had long made South Africa an international pariah. In , a UN resolution declared apartheid a "crime against humanity. President Mandela saw rugby as a way to help lessen divisions between Black and white South Africans and foster a shared national pride. The sport had been a unifying force before, among the nation's competing colonial forces. A Springbok tour of the British Isles proudly featured players from both sides in the bitter Boer War between English and Afrikaners, including one player who had been imprisoned in a British concentration camp. To heal the wounds this time, Mandela—who had himself been jailed for 27 years for challenging the white minority-led apartheid system—had to first acknowledge and address the widespread pain and division apartheid had wrought. While racial segregation had been long practiced in South Africa, the official system of apartheid emerged in , after the political ascendance of the Afrikaner National Party. Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch, German and French settlers who saw themselves as a chosen people, worked to shape a government that favored the white minority. Under apartheid, the Black majority population was moved to segregated townships in conditions of brutal poverty, excluded from any role in national politics and denied jobs beyond those involving unskilled labor.

Mahatma Gandhi Nelson Mandela. Due to the strength of flanker Ruben Kruger and No. The World Cup was the first major sporting event to take place in South Africa following the end of apartheid.

On Saturday in Paris they meet again. Fifteen men were dressed all in black and 15 men wore green, gold and white. They obviously had no idea then that 28 years would have to pass before these two giants could face each other again when it matters most — in a World Cup final. This Saturday in Paris, the All Black and Springbok squads will emerge from the tunnel at the Stade de France with the knowledge that the two countries they represent have each won the World Cup three times. By the time the next tournament begins, in , the World Cup will have been in the possession of either New Zealand or South Africa for 24 successive years.

With an appearance from Nelson Mandela to the waterlogged semi final, the tournament delivered some truly unforgettable moments. Additionally, it was the first Rugby World Cup to be hosted by one country. As such, all 32 matches were contested in South Africa. Hosting the tournament was a momentous occasion for South Africa. Firstly, it came just three years after the IRFB readmitted the country into international competition. Although New Zealand entered as the standout favourites, South Africa seized the title. From the qualifying nations to the stadiums, as well as the final standings and top players, here are all of the key statistics from the Rugby World Cup. The competition was contested by 16 nations.

1995 world rugby cup

It was the first World Cup for South Africa, as the nation had been kept out of the competition during apartheid, so the victory was a meaningful one—but, as anyone who has seen the film Invictus knows, the game was even more meaningful for what happened off the field. In South Africa, rugby had been seen as a sport for white Afrikaaners, but President Nelson Mandela saw that the tournament could be a chance for a broader social reconciliation. Pienaar reflected on his relationship with Mandela, the link between sports and politics, and the moment he realized that June 24 game would go down in history:. Not before the competition started. But in six weeks, I saw the country change. At our hotel in Cape Town, the lady who checked us in was wearing a Springbok jumper. The gentleman who served us breakfast would say we must eat because we needed to be strong.

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But South Africa, the reigning world champions, have an inspirational black captain in Siya Kolisi and a side that truly represents every corner of that vast and complex country. In fact, South Africa had done it before. With South Africa making mistakes, France ran in what was almost a try, stopped by an inch by a valiant defense. The match, won by the Boks at Ellis Park, may well be the most famous ever played and was set against a backdrop of drama, intrigue and politics. The South African Mint issued a one-ounce gold proof "Protea" coin with a total mintage of pieces to commemorate the event being hosted by South Africa. Vaal Dam Vaal Barrage. Get the RNZ app for ad-free news and current affairs. Greater Johannesburg. Tallest buildings. There were games originally scheduled to have been played in Brakpan , Germiston , Pietermaritzburg and Witbank , but these games were reallocated to other venues. Get the latest articles delivered to your inbox Sign up to our Free Weekly Newsletter. This article is about the rugby union event.

It was once a symbol of division, the separation between white and black South Africa, but in the hands of one amazing man it became a symbol of hope, unity and peace.

Underwood 2 Con: Andrew 3 Pen: Andrew. They obviously had no idea then that 28 years would have to pass before these two giants could face each other again when it matters most — in a World Cup final. The eight quarter-finalists from the Rugby World Cup all received automatic entry, as did South Africa, as hosts. In , Nelson Mandela was elected president. Photo: Photosport. The final was contested by the hosts, South Africa, and New Zealand. Film Resource Unit Quizzical Pictures. Pienaar and the Springboks rose to their feet, the captain in the middle of a circle as he urged his players to lift themselves for another 20 minutes. Analysis - Did we learn much from the All Blacks' performance? The nations were broken up into four pools of four, with each pool consisting of two teams that were automatically qualified and two that went through the qualifying tournaments. The Springbok had come to symbolize more than rugby excellence to the hard-line Afrikaner—it had come to symbolize racial superiority. Article Talk.