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Subscribe to RSS Feed1995: Pot of gold for Rainbow Nation
A golden moment for Mandela and Pienaar.
If the first two World Cups were about the men from Down Under, the 1995 tournament was all about one thing.
A bulldozing All Black by the name of Jonah Lomu did his best to grab a share of the headlines, but from start to finish this was South Africa's competition.
Once Apartheid had been lifted it was only a matter of time before the rugby-mad country was awarded the World Cup, particularly once all sporting sanctions had ended.
And 1995 was that time - but as the rugby world headed to a united country, the hosts were not given much of a chance of lifting the famous trophy on their own soil either by pundits or the South Africans themselves.
Their preparations had been far from ideal - they had struggled against domestic sides Western Province and Natal - yet when the chips were down in the opening game of the tournament they stunned defending champions Australia 27-18.
With Canada and Romania making up the Pool that victory set up the Springboks perfectly for the rest of the group stage, and they duly dispatched the minnows - as did Australia - to move into the quarter-finals.
There they were expected to meet either England - who in the build-up had been embroiled in the controversy over Will Carling's infamous 'old farts' jibe - or Western Samoa.
It was the Pacific Islanders who took the early honours with a thumping 42-18 victory over Italy, a team England could only beat 27-20.
Both sides also sank Argentina to set up a decider at Kings Park, and to the delight of the 'Barmy Army', it was Carling's men who ran out the winners 44-22.
Pools C and D featured the other members of the Five Nations with Ireland and Wales joining New Zealand and Japan, and Tonga and Ivory Coast the minnows alongside Scotland and France.
Only Wales failed to progress to the quarter-finals, yet that was probably little surprise given they had changed their coaching team yet again in the run-up to the tournament.
Having replaced Ron Waldron with Alan Davies prior to the 1991 tournament, this time around the WRU decided to axe Davies and name Alec Evans as the man to lead the Welsh to South Africa.
Yet despite a 57-10 victory over Japan in their opening game - which included a debut hat-trick from Brigend centre Gareth Thomas - Evans' men were sent packing as defeats by New Zealand and Ireland saw them finish third in their group.
Scotland and France did make it through to the last eight, with France edging top spot with a thrilling 22-19 victory in the decider between the sides. The Scots had the better of the game, but an injury-time try from Emile Ntamack saw the men from across the Channel gain revenge for their Five Nations defeat.
A huge shadow was cast over the pool stages, and indeed the whole tournament, when Ivory Coast winger Max Brito was left wheelchair-bound after suffering a neck injury just two minutes into their match against Tonga.
But as Brito lay in his hospital bed, the tournament continued.
And the first day of the knock-out stages saw Ireland's run ended in clinical fashion by France, while hosts South Africa enjoyed a routine victory over Western Samoa.
The real fireworks were saved for the following day, though, as England edged out Australia in a thriller in Cape Town.
The lead changed hands no less than six times in the match and looked to be heading into extra-time until a mammoth drop goal from Rob Andrew saw England home 25-22.
That set up a semi-final clash with either New Zealand or the Auld Enemy Scotland - and few were shocked when it was the All Blacks who moved through with a 48-30 victory.
Their reward was a clash with England, and they certainly made the most of their chance to gain revenge for a 15-9 defeat at Twickenham two years earlier.
Within 20 minutes of the kick-off, the awesome All Blacks had crossed four times inspired by that man Lomu.
No 8 Zinzan Brooke added a drop goal to rub salt into the wounds and despite a gallant effort from England - who scored four tries of their own - the Kiwis booked their spot in the final alongside the hosts, who ousted France 19-15 in a game high in controversy.
Dire weather put the match in doubt right up to kick-off and when it did get under way, Abdel Benazzi was denied what appeared to be a legitimate try for the French.
They never recovered and were forced to settle for third place, which they achieved by beating England 19-9 in the play-off.
If controversy had dogged the Springboks' semi-final, it was nothing to that which accompanied the final with allegations that the Kiwis had been nobbled in the run-up to the game.
Over half their squad were struck down with food poisoning and they were never able to play their usual brand of stylish rugby.
Indeed Lomu was shackled so well by the Springboks, the match became a kicking contest which Joel Stransky eventually won with an extra-time drop goal to secure a 15-12 victory for the underdogs.
At the final whistle, the whole of the Ellis Park - and in all likelihood the rest of South Africa - erupted.
Nelson Mandela, sporting a Springbok shirt, handed the trophy to Francois Pienaar and as he lifted it skywards, a maelstrom of emotion swept around the whole country.
For after years of isolation, South Africa were back.
Not just as competitors but as world leaders.
You couldn't write the script.
Competing countries: South Africa, Australia, Canada, Romania, England, Argentina, Western Samoa, Italy, Wales, New Zealand, Ireland, Japan, France, Scotland, Tonga, Ivory Coast.
Winners - South Africa, 2nd - New Zealand, 3rd - France, 4th - England.
