Boks’ win hailed as bigger than ’95

Legend Pienaar says victory can bring whole of South Africa together

SOUTH AFRICA 32 ENGLAND 12

South Africa’s 1995 World Cup-winning captain Francois Pienaar has hailed the Springboks’ latest global triumph as bigger than 24 years ago.

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, 58 million 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.

“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.

“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.

“Everybody needs to work together if you want to be successful. As a country, to be world champion, you all need to work together.”

George Ford was at a loss to explain England’s inability to make a meaningful contest of Saturday’s final rout.

A crushing defeat in Yokohama ended Japan 2019 in the most deflating way possible as Eddie Jones’ men failed to show up for a match they were expected to win comfortably.

The Springboks savaged passive opponents who barely fired a shot, their mastery up front matched by two brilliantly taken tries finished by wings Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe.

After the spectacular demolition of New Zealand in the semi-finals, English optimism was cruelly punctured and Ford echoed Jones’ admission that the reasons are baffling.

“South Africa were the better team on the day by a good distance. It’s massively disappointing,” Ford said.

“We can’t put our finger on why but sometimes you have days like that when you’re not good enough.

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South Africa were the better team on the day by a good distance. GEORGE FORD

“The thing with cup finals is it’s on the day. You get to a final and you’re not guaranteed anything, all it was was an opportunity. And we were not good enough today to finish it off. But we’ll stick together and we’ll move on.

“It’s hard to say anything to make anyone feel better. We’ve massively enjoyed our time together, we’ve become closer as a group and played some good rugby along the way.”

England flattened New Zealand during a lightning-fast start but against South Africa they were on the receiving end of the same treatment and never recovered as the Springboks became the first team to lose a World Cup game yet lift the Webb Ellis Trophy.

“We were inaccurate in first 20 minutes and couldn’t get a foothold in the game in any sense,” Ford said.

“They kept putting pressure on us and managed to get points on the board. Against a team like South Africa, it’s always hard to chase.

“Physicality and accuracy are probably two things you need to get together to get a fast start. I thought they had both of them and we probably lacked some accuracy.

“We need to absorb what they were throwing at us and then to try and throw a few punches ourselves. We just weren’t good enough to do that.”

Kyle Sinckler’s third-minute collision with Mapimpi and Maro Itoje saw him knocked out, ending his match and his replacement Dan Cole suffered gravely at the scrum.

“You never like to see an injury like Kyle’s. Speaking to him, he didn’t have a clue what had gone on,” Ford said.

“But fair play to South Africa, they executed their game plan brilliantly.”