Friday 23 October 2015 15:29, UK
Bryan Habana has called South Africa's rugby players to "unite the nation" on Saturday in memory of a murdered school teacher.
Zukisa Kela, a social sciences teacher and rugby co-ordinator at Westbury Secondary School, was tied up and thrown into a lake by a 12-strong gang in Johannesburg at the weekend.
His school principal said he had "revived rugby" at the school and revealed Mr Kela had ended their final conversation by saying "go Springboks! Go!"
News of the murder has reached the South Africa camp ahead of this weekend's World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, and Habana is hopeful rugby can once again act as a force for good - just as it did when Nelson Mandela handed South Africa captain Francois Pienaar the World Cup trophy back in 1995.
"Rugby has been really fortunate to have given our country back so much, to have united in a way like no other, and inspired and given hope like never before," said Habana, who will line up against New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.
"That iconic moment of the late Nelson Mandela giving Francois Pienaar that trophy back in 1995, that was a watershed moment not only for myself and a lot of players, but for our country.
"So for us it's about understanding the privilege of waking up being able to see, walk, use both hands, but when a tragedy like that happens you really appreciate life that much more.
"So going out there on Saturday we'd like just to inspire, to give back and to hopefully unite a nation that so dearly needs it at the moment.
"To Zukisa Kela and his family after the tragedy that happened in South Africa, our thoughts and prayers are with you. That passion and fire that he showed for South Africa, on his last moment, was pretty special.
"To be able to see the support and passion he had for the Springboks makes the reason we play this game, the reason we play for South Africa and play for our country so much more special.
"Hopefully we can continue doing our country proud, and hopefully by doing what we do on a Saturday we can bring a country together, unite a country - and make sure that whatever happens back home people have some form of hope."
