The Springboks’ relentless defence of their World Cup title may have appeared to be a pursuit of history, but in reality, it was a quest for something far more profound. It was about more than just lifting the trophy, celebrating in the rain, and etching their names into South African folklore. The Springboks took the field with a burning desire to do it for their people, not just for themselves.
Moments like Kurt-Lee Arendse’s crucial tackle, dragging a try-bound Rieko Ioane into touch in the first half, and Cheslin Kolbe’s heroic effort, carrying Will Jordan back upfield despite missing the last seven minutes due to a yellow card, demonstrated the Springboks’ unwavering commitment to clinching the trophy.
Throughout this tournament, it has been a nail-biting journey for fans in South Africa, marked by two incredible comebacks and two one-point victories over France and England. Videos emerged of people across South Africa passionately cheering and jeering for their beloved team.
In a country grappling with issues like frequent power outages and a struggling economy, the Springboks understood that the key to easing the unrest back home was winning, and win they did.
Captain of the Springboks, Siya Kolisi, was just one decision away from receiving a red card, but he emphasized that they didn’t need to look far for inspiration. Thinking about their compatriots back home served as all the motivation they required.
“What brings us together is our country. What brings us together is the Springboks and South Africa,” he said. “There is not a lot going right in our country, and we have the privilege to do what we love and inspire people in life, not just in sports.”
“For me, not giving my 100 percent on the field would be cheating all those people, and that’s what the coaches always remind us of. The motivation for us, we don’t have to look far.”
He added, “I can’t explain it to you; you need to come and see South Africa to understand. Once we come together, nothing can stop us, not just in sport but also in life.”
At halftime, while the All Blacks struggled to figure out how to compensate for the loss of their captain Cane, who received a red card in the 27th minute after a collision with Jesse Kriel, the Springboks put to rest their early-tournament nerves for the first time in the knockout stages.
However, despite playing most of the game with 14 men and reverting to their first-half performances from their last two games, the tense moments returned. Fan footage captured the anxiety of supporters in South Africa and at the Stade de France who could barely watch.
The tension reached its peak when Beauden Barrett scored a try, narrowing the score to 11-12 in favour of the Springboks with just 20 minutes left on the clock.
The euphoria at home began to fade, and even at the stadium, legendary 1995 South Africa captain Francois Pienaar could hardly muster a smile when the cameras caught him. The contest had turned on its head, with South Africa now trying to prevent New Zealand from scoring.
Then, with seven minutes remaining, the All Blacks were presented with an opportunity to snatch victory: a penalty!
Kolbe was shown a yellow card and could barely bear to watch, his head buried in his jersey. Fans at home, many of whom were strangers, held hands and said a prayer. Their prayers were answered when Jordie Barrett missed his crucial kick, sending waves of cheers among South African fans.
The final whistle ushered in screams of pure joy in South African hospitals, celebrations around the Nelson Mandela statue in Sandton, and streets filled with elated fans in Durban. The players knew the significance of this victory to the fans back home: a few hours of pure ecstasy, a brief respite from their problems, and a chance to be happy.
Call it luck, call it fate, but if the players had seen the videos of children clad in Springboks’ colours crying and cheering them on at home after their wins against England and France, they needed no additional motivation to take the field and deliver, as they did last night. The players had a reason, and that reason was in South Africa, it was the people, it was to bring them together, and they needed the narrowest of margins to succeed.
By Frank-Kamal Acheampong