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Pienaar: This is bigger than 1995
South Africa’s 1995 World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar has hailed the Springboks’ latest global triumph as bigger than 24 years ago.
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Pienaar receiving the Webb Ellis Trophy from Nelson Mandela – who wore a replica of Pienaar’s green number six shirt – at Ellis Park, Johannesburg is one of sport’s most powerful images.
And Pienaar watched in Yokohama on Saturday as Siya Kolisi, the Springboks’ first black captain, held rugby union’s greatest prize aloft.
The 32-12 victory over World Cup final opponents England proved another unforgettable occasion in South African history.
“This is bigger,” said Pienaar, speaking to reporters at the World Rugby awards night in Tokyo.
“This is bigger because it is a transformed team, 58million people watching in South Africa yesterday morning, and all races would have woken up wearing green, which wouldn’t have happened in my time.
“It has evolved from my time. We had an incredible moment with Mr Mandela, but just the support from the nation for this team and captain.
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“Seeing South Africa in the final, Siya Kolisi, the first black captain of South African rugby in his 50th game, his dad flying for the first time in his life to watch his son play. Wow. You don’t get more emotion than that.
'There must be some sort of dire, lasting effect of coming into contact with Pieter Steph du Toit at the breakdown.'
– @samrobertsrugby on the brute facts of the #RWC Finalhttps://t.co/8gCDqFy2Og
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 3, 2019
“And then I see my number and the (South African) president wearing the number, which Mr Mandela wore, and I know that Cyril (Ramaphosa) was very close to Mandela.
“It’s more than rugby in most countries, but in South Africa we are tender. Our country needs to rebuild.
“To rebuild you need to unite, and sport comes along and shows you that.
“Rugby, in particular, caters for all talents – strong guys up front, tall guys, speedy guys. They play together and it makes them a successful team, and that is a beautiful story for life and for a country.
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“Everybody needs to work together if you want to be successful. As a country, to be world champion, you all need to work together.”
Former Springboks wing Bryan Habana, who helped South Africa achieve World Cup glory in 2007, paid tribute to Kolisi.
Habana said: “It’s an amazing achievement. All the credit and plaudits coming his way are well deserved.
Pieter-Steph Du Toit accepts his World Rugby Men's 15s Player of the Year award, in association with @Mastercard
#WorldRugbyAwards pic.twitter.com/SiW4R0qQgz— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 3, 2019
“I told people the whole week of Siya growing up. He had some support, but he didn’t have great role models. He was sometimes worried about where his next meal was coming from.
“He just wanted to get through some nights knowing that he could go to school and get a jam sandwich that would see him through the day.
“Knowing Siya a little bit more personally than the average person and being part of his journey, it has been absolutely fantastic. He deserves everything that comes his way.”
South Africa’s triumph in Japan means they will face the 2021 British and Irish Lions as world champions – and Pienaar cannot wait for that three-Test series.
“It’s going to be massive,” he said.
“I think the British and Irish Lions is the most romantic story in sport, and I think the politicians can learn, the Brexiteers can learn about how the Lions when they come together, how things can work.
“It’s all about love. It really is. These people come together and they make friendships for life.
“We are not going to stand back. We will give them a hell of a game when they come to South Africa.”
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
29 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
29 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
29 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
29 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
29 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
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