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In the context of history, 20 years is not a long time. In rugby, however, such a time span transcends a top player’s career.
That’s why I find it so amazing that possibly my favourite rugby match – make that occasion – took place 20 years ago.
Could it really be? Twenty years? The memories are so vivid they seem like yesterday.
Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the opening game of the 1995 rugby World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town.
With the eyes of the world on South Africa, RWC ’95 got off to a start as emotional as it was spectacular, as memorable as it was important – and joyously, vibrantly and colourfully African.
Following just over a year after the country’s first democratic election, which installed Nelson Mandela as president, it was the first time the “new” South Africa set out its stall on a world stage.
The weather was perfect, the opening ceremony showed off the rainbow people to best effect, the mood was happy and the crowd chanted “Nelson! Nelson! Nelson!” with genuine affection when the president appeared on the field to officially open the tournament.
Francois Pienaar’s team had adopted the slogan One Team, One Nation for the tournament, and the opening ceremony showed the vivid diversity of South Africa and its people – and extended a welcoming hand to our visitors.
It was the first time I had experienced the aura of President Mandela and that radiant smile that could light up a stadium packed to the rafters.
On one of those Cape winter days when you feel as though you can reach out and touch the mountain that is etched against a clear blue sky, there was optimism and joy in the air. I have yet to meet someone who was there who was not emotional.
Sadly, the buoyancy and generosity of spirit probably imagined by the high-minded Madiba – and felt by most of the nation – have not survived the fraught first two decades of our infant democracy.
But as a single snapshot in time, the launch of the rugby World Cup in South Africa will always stand out for me.
We have since realised there were fault lines in the new dispensation that could not be papered over and, of course, the Newlands rugby crowd was a largely white one – but for a brief moment, we did see and feel what we could be as a nation.
After such a start, it would have been surprising if the game, Springboks against defending champions Australia, had not provided an appropriate finale, and it did not fall short.
There was a touch of serendipity with Joel Stransky, who had not been in coach Kitch Christie’s original plans, donning the Number 10 jersey and scoring in all four ways (try, conversion, penalty, drop) – contributing 22 points to South Africa’s 27-22 victory.
Joost van der Westhuizen played an immense role, pressurising Wallaby halfbacks George Gregan and Michael Lynagh, and a host of other Springboks stood up to be counted.
My abiding memory is of Pieter Hendriks triumphantly brandishing his right fist as he rounded David Campese and sprinted in for a wonderful try.
I have had the privilege of being present at many great Springbok days, but this one – May 25 1995 – was for many reasons the most special.
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