Extract from Chapter 9: ‘Carrying the union flag’ | Rugby union and South Africa in the 1990s
As the World Cup grew into a major event, South Africa’s absence from mainstream rugby became even more glaring than before. The times were changing, though: in February 1990, the anti-apartheid African National Congress (ANC) was legalised, and its figurehead Nelson Mandela released from prison, signalling the start of apartheid’s demise. Some South African Rugby Board (SARB) members, including the eminent Danie Craven, had held talks with the ANC in 1988 – to the fury of white hard-liners – and the ANC agreed to support South Africa’s return to world rugby.
The SARB and the South African Rugby Union (formerly the South African Coloured Rugby Football Board) merged in January 1992, forming the non-racial South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU). Craven was chosen as its president, but died a year later aged 82. The boycotts were lifted: within the SARFU’s first year, the All Blacks and Wallabies toured South Africa, and the Springboks visited England and France. South Africa’s rehabilitation was sealed the following year as the IRB chose it to host the 1995 World Cup.
Sport, having played a part in bringing down apartheid, now contributed to South Africa’s healing process in the post-apartheid years; it also helped to reshape the country’s image, despite its national rugby and cricket teams still being almost totally white. The 1995 World Cup was its coming-out party. Many black South Africans supported the Springboks, once seen as a symbol of white supremacy, for the first time.
The tournament saw some embarrassingly one-sided games, with the giants proving to be far too strong for the minnows: New Zealand crushed Japan 145–17, while Scotland scored 89 points against the Ivory Coast without reply. The All Blacks were a real force again, largely thanks to their giant wing Jonah Lomu, whose almost unstoppable running helped them to beat all four home nations. They reached the final in Johannesburg, along with the hosts, who had found their feet after making a shaky return to the international stage. South Africa countered the Lomu threat by smothering the midfield, cutting off his supply line. Joel Stransky’s drop goal in extra time gave them a 15–12 win, followed by the memorable sight of a beaming President Mandela, in a Springbok jersey, handing the trophy to skipper Francois Pienaar. New Zealand had been weakened by a bout of illness, believed to have been caused by food poisoning, sparking inevitable conspiracy theories.
The SARB and the South African Rugby Union (formerly the South African Coloured Rugby Football Board) merged in January 1992, forming the non-racial South African Rugby Football Union (SARFU). Craven was chosen as its president, but died a year later aged 82. The boycotts were lifted: within the SARFU’s first year, the All Blacks and Wallabies toured South Africa, and the Springboks visited England and France. South Africa’s rehabilitation was sealed the following year as the IRB chose it to host the 1995 World Cup.
Sport, having played a part in bringing down apartheid, now contributed to South Africa’s healing process in the post-apartheid years; it also helped to reshape the country’s image, despite its national rugby and cricket teams still being almost totally white. The 1995 World Cup was its coming-out party. Many black South Africans supported the Springboks, once seen as a symbol of white supremacy, for the first time.
The tournament saw some embarrassingly one-sided games, with the giants proving to be far too strong for the minnows: New Zealand crushed Japan 145–17, while Scotland scored 89 points against the Ivory Coast without reply. The All Blacks were a real force again, largely thanks to their giant wing Jonah Lomu, whose almost unstoppable running helped them to beat all four home nations. They reached the final in Johannesburg, along with the hosts, who had found their feet after making a shaky return to the international stage. South Africa countered the Lomu threat by smothering the midfield, cutting off his supply line. Joel Stransky’s drop goal in extra time gave them a 15–12 win, followed by the memorable sight of a beaming President Mandela, in a Springbok jersey, handing the trophy to skipper Francois Pienaar. New Zealand had been weakened by a bout of illness, believed to have been caused by food poisoning, sparking inevitable conspiracy theories.