Thursday 2Nd February, 2012 “Sports Have the Power to Change the World
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Thursday 2nd February, 2012 13 dence in you and your team. Forget South Africa, statesman, National about personal glory, put the coun- leader, President Nelson Mandela, those try before self. Francois, I wish you ‘Six Minutes’ was the longest six min- and your team the best of luck. utes in his entire life. Remember, it’s One Team, One When the final whistle was blown, all Country and the Nation.” hell broke out. The 60,000 South African On June 24, 1995 in the after- fans at Ellis Park danced with joy, shout- noon, President Mandela arrived at ing ‘Nelson Mandela – Nelson’. South 2.00 pm, an hour before the game African Rugby Chairman Louis Luyt commenced. Ellis Park at said that President Mandela embraced Johannesburg was filled to the him. They all jumped high, smiled and capacity – 62,000 spectators. South smiled. The hero of the South African Africans the world over, billions of victory Joel Stransky said; “I smiled for them, were glued to their televi- a whole week after the victory. I never sion sets. The glamour ceremony stopped smiling.” began with a song titled The Springboks won the Rugby ‘Shosholoza’. This was a popular World Cup in 2007 again, beating song; the ‘patriotic song’ com- England. They were once again wearing posed by Mandela along with his Green and Gold jerseys. The whole coun- close friend Walter Sisulu and try celebrated, again. other inmates, when they were working as labourers at the quar- ry at Rodden Island, near Cape Town. I visited this place, Table Mountain in 1998 with my son Bhagya, when he was working as a financial controller at Eureka in Botswana, a leading firm owned by an old Thomian, Issadeen. Before the game com- menced, Laurie Kay, a South African pilot flew his 747 Jumbo jet about 200 feet above Ellis Park. It was certainly a big sur- prise and aggressive flying. First the spectators did not see the plane. The Boeing 747s four engines deafened the specta- tors. Before the start of the game, Mandela personally vis- ited the dressing room of the two teams and wished them good luck. Nelson Mandela was wear- ing a South African rugby jer- sey and a cap. On the back of the jersey No.7 was embossed, the number of the Springbok skipper, Francois Pienaar. Five minutes before kick- off, Mandela walked out on to the field to shake hands with the players. The entire air was filled with chanting and cheering. “Nelson – Nelson – Nelson”, Sixty two thousand were cheering Nelson – Nelson – the name of their beloved leader, who was totally responsible for mak- ing South Africa One Country, One Nation. When he was being introduced to the All Blacks players, he shook hands with the giant Jonah Lomu, New Zealand’s star player. When Mandela inquired; “Jonah, how are you keep- ing?” Lomu was so excited he looked like a lamb in front of a friendly lion. The South Africans sang their National Anthem – ‘Nikosi-Saikola Africa’ while the All Blacks performed the ‘Haka’ when their National Anthem was being sung. The 1995 Rugby World Cup final was not only a thrilling encounter, but it was more an ‘Epic Drama’. From the start, it was a ‘Ding Dong Battle’. South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup strategy was to cover All Blacks’ star Jonah Lomu. The Springboks never allowed Lomu to run with the ball. Like President Nelson Mandela, the captain of the South African team too motivated his players and kept the moral of the Springboks players on a high. The Finals that made South Africa 28-year-old Francois Pienaar said; “we have to win this final. Let’s be world champions. We are all One Country, One Nation. This is the biggest we can bestow on our beloved South Africa. The Springboks 1995 rugby team was a fine fighting unit. Their team-spirit One Country – One Nation was high. Morne Du Plessu was the manager. The only non-white play- ports have the power to change completed the transition to er was Chester Williams. the world. It has the power to Nonracial Democracy under the The final was anybody’s game. “Sinspire, the power to unite peo- African National Congress led by At half-time, South Africa were ple. Sport is a powerful mobiliser of Nelson Mandela. leading 9-6. Thrills, tension, cheer- mass emotions and sharpens political The ‘Great’ Nelson Mandela, a ing filled the air. At full time, the perceptions.” fine human being, lover of sports, scores were 9-9. These sentiments were expressed by united South Africa, an area of For the first time in a Rugby the former President of South Africa, 1,219,916 sq.km. (470,566 mi) with a World Cup, this game went into Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest men population of approximately extra time. South African fans, of the 21st century, who is considered 45,129,400, with the ethnic groups, including the chief guest, ‘The Father of South Africa’. Anyone blacks 75%, whites 14%, coloured 9% President Nelson Mandela, were who is truly interested in the Genesis of and Asians 2%, who spoke on the edge of a knife. Greatness, should read Nelson Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sotho, BY PREMASARA The game was so tense that Mandela’s masterpiece – ‘Long Walk to Pedi, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswane, Venda, EPASINGHE many South African spectators Freedom’, one of the most extraordinary Xhoda and Zula. The great democrat- were feeling faintish. Coach political tales of the 21st century. ic leader, Mandela made South Plessis, a seasoned campaigner of Nelson Mandela, after a bitter strug- Africa one country, one nation, a rain- Mandela possessed a magnetic personal- more than one hundred rugby matches gle, imprisoned for 27 years, fought bow nation. ity. He was simple, dignified and friend- too was feeling nervous. against apartheid, the policy of social The national icon - Nelson Mandela - ly. He understood his people and was New Zealander Mehrjens went into segregation practiced by the South the sports-loving President, always trusted even by those who did not like action after 60 seconds. New Zeland went African whites from 1948 to 1990. It addressed the hearts of the people, his politics. Further, this charming per- ahead 12-9. But close to the 10th minute, meant that racial inequality and rather than their brains. He was one sonality possessed an acute sense of Joel Strasky kicked high and it went restricted rights for non-whites were world statesman who used sports as a humour. He enjoyed a joke even against straight between the posts. Again, after institutionalised when the Afrikaner vehicle in uniting a country with differ- himself, with a laugh that came from 10 minutes extra time, the scores were dominated National Party came to ent cultures. Mandela used the Rugby deep down. I consider Nelson Mandela level – South Africa 12, New Zealand, 12. power in 1948. It was white minority World Cup 1995 as a diplomatic tool to the ‘Man of the 21st Century’. In the fourth minute in the second rule. It was based on segregation of all achieve the objective of making South Nelson Mandela invited the session scrum half Joose Van De aspects of life, including residence, land Africa, ‘One Country’ One Nation’. Springboks rugby captain Pienaar a cou- Westhuizen passed the ball to Joel ownership and education. Non-whites Date: June 24, 1995. ple of weeks before the final and had a Strasky. In a few seconds, he kicked the who comprised 80% of the population Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg. ‘pep talk’ with him and inquired about ball – the ‘Golden kick of a Lifetime’ so were given separate political structures Two Teams: South Africa and New the preparation and practices and what sweetly and South Africa were ahead, 15- and quasi-autonomous homelands or Zealand they require. He was more like a father 12. But the battle was still on. Six min- Bantustans. The ‘Pass-Laws’ severely Final – 1995 Rugby World Cup looking after his children. On the day utes more for the final whistle. Pienaar restricted the movements of the non- Captains: Sean Fitzpatrick (NZ) before the Rugby World Cup final, on advised his players to maintain their whites. Francois Pienaar (SA) June 23, 1995, President Mandela gave a cool and not to allow the All Blacks pos- In 1990, the South African govern- The World Cup 1995 rugby final creat- call to the captain of the South African session of the ball. ment, increasingly isolated internation- ed history. It was the first time that a rugby team. For the South Africans, these six ally and beset by economic difficulties President of a country, met their sports- “Hello, Francois, how are you‘ll minutes were like six hundred years. and domestic unrest, pledged to disman- men personally, advised them and moti- doing? Remember, I am with you with 4.3 For the ‘Great Freedom Fighter’ of tle the system. Elections in April 1994 vated them before a final. Nelson million people. I have so much of confi-.