Pienaar: This is bigger for South Africa than our glory in ‘95
FRANCOIS PIENAAR believes South Africa’s World Cup glory is bigger and better than 1995.
The former Springbok captain led his country to their first title 24 years ago.
The success came shortly after the end of apartheid in South Africa and the picture of Pienaar receiving the Webb Ellis Cup from Nelson Mandela united the nation.
South Africa won the World
BY aleX ByWaTeR Cup for the third time in Japan with a 32-12 hammering of England led by their first black captain Siya Kolisi.
And Pienaar said: “This is bigger as it was a transformed team. There were 58m people watching the final in South Africa and all races would have been wearing green. That wouldn’t have happened in my time.
“Rugby has evolved since then. We had an incredible moment with Mr Mandela but the support from the nation for this team and captain is amazing.”
Kolisi has become a symbol for South African unity and did not even have a TV set when the Springboks won their second World Cup in 2007.
Pienaar said: “Seeing Siya, the first black captain of South African rugby, lift the trophy in his 50th game was amazing. His dad flew for the first time in his life to watch his son play. Wow.
“You don’t get more emotion than that. Siya wore the No.6 shirt like me and Mr Mandela wore it too in 1995. This time president Cyril Ramaphosa was there wearing the number too.
“In Mr Mandela’s speech when he first came out of prison, it was Cyril holding the microphone. Siya has changed the game and he plays like a warrior.”