The 1995 competition was by far one of the most emotional ones. With their return to the sporting arena, South Africa proclaimed the end of the apartheid and seized the tournament as an opportunity to unify a multiethnic nation battered by racial tensions for decades.
Certainly, they weren’t the favourites, but the most inspired. Francois Pienaar, having led an underperforming side for months prior to the tournament was inspired by South Africa’s spirited leader Nelson Mandela’s vision to seal the perfect moment and unite the ‘Rainbow Nation’.
It was not only the first World Cup they hosted, but also their first participation on the big stage. The 1995 edition was the first to be hosted inside one country as 16 teams competed in 9 venues across South Africa in 32 exciting games.
The Hosts Tame the Champions
In the opening game on the 25th of May at Cape Town, the South Africans beat their rivals and defending champions Australia 27-18 to gain a winning start to the tournament. Tries by Joel Stransky and Pieter Hendriks were given extra zest when Stranky’s boots added a conversion, 4 penalties and a drop goal. For the Wallabies, Michael Lynagh and Phil Kearns found the try line while Lynagh’s two penalties and a conversion accumulated the 18 points.
The Ellis Park Showdown
It was a do or die scenario for both Ireland and Wales in Pool C when the two sides met at Johannesburg for an intense clash. Having being beaten by New Zealand earlier in the tournament, both teams looked to secure the second spot in group C with a victory. Within the first few minutes, Ireland scored their first try through a line out as Nick Popplewell went over the line which was converted by Eric Elwood. In the 14th minute, the Irish scored their second try as Denis McBride cut through a gap to increase the advantage to 14-0. However the Welsh resistance reduced the deficit by adding two penalties to go into the break with the scores at 14-6.
After the break, Welsh Fly half Neil Jenkins booted another penalty but Eddie Halvey’s try followed by a conversion restored a 10 point lead for the Irish with 11 minutes remaining in the game. The game proved to be far from over, however, as Hooker Jonathan Humphreys scored under the post soon after and a vital conversion by Jenkins saw the score at 21-18. An offside call on Wales resulted in a crucial penalty for Elwood, who converted, giving the Irish an 8 point lead which was enough to secure a marginal 24-23 win despite a last ditch converted try by Flanker Hemi Taylor.
Ascent to the Knockouts
In Pool A, South Africa gained the top spot. After beating Australia in the opening game, victories over Romania (21-8) and Canada (20-0) helped them to keep their unbeaten tag. Defending champions Australia held on to second place with wins over Canada (27-11) and Romania (42-3).
England dominated Pool B beating Argentina 24-18, Italy 27-20 and Western Samoa 44-22. The Samoans, just as in the previous competition, qualified for the knockouts with wins over Argentina (32-26) and Italy (42-18)
The favourites New Zealand reasserted their supremacy with big wins over Ireland (43-19) and Wales (34-9) and then running riot versus Japan (145-17). Ireland followed them, edging out Wales (24-23) and Japan (50-28) while France and Scotland secured berths from Pool D. However, the joyous entertainment the tournament provided was tempered by the injury to Ivorian winger Max Brito, who was paralyzed during the game against Tonga.
Andrew’s 45 in a Cape Town Thriller
The closest contest during the knockouts went down in Newlands, Cape Town between the 1991 finalists England and Australia. Having the stronger side, England scored with Rob Andrew’s penalties and Tony Underwood’s try to which the Wallabies responded with two penalties of their own by Michael Lynagh. At the half England were leading 13-6 with a small slip up by the Wallabies allowing Underwood to touch down.
Damian Smith found the touch line scoring a vital try which was converted by Lynagh to level the scores in the 2nd half. Following the equalizer, the game headed to a contest between Andrew and Lynagh’s skills as the duo went tit for tat with their boots. At the end of 80 minutes, the teams were deadlocked at 22-22.
During extra time, a line out within Australian territory and a clean take by Martin Bayfield sent the ball from scrumhalf Dewi Morris to Rob Andrew who slotted a stunning drop goal from 45 metres out to seal a historic win. It was also England’s first win against Australia outside the northern hemisphere.
Lomu’s Cue, Opponents Subdue
Perhaps the highlight of the tournament in terms of individual performance was the 20 year old All Blacks sensation Jonah Lomu. The herculean winger quickly earned a reputation for tearing apart any defense stacked against him. Scoring at will, the unstoppable youngster became one of the icons of South Africa 1995.
As France and South Africa proceeded to the semi finals by recording wins over Ireland (36-12) and Western Samoa (42-14) respectively, Lomu and the All Blacks breezed past Scotland (48-30) at Pretoria.
During the semifinals, the Springboks managed to scrape past France (19-15) a Ruben Kruger try being difference between the two sides in a game which was played amidst torrential rains. On the other side, Lomu, the try machine, vanquished the English defense with 4 tries to take the mighty All Blacks to the finals. The speed and power of Lomu got the better of the hapless English backs as he burst through the challenges thrown by Will Carling, Tony Underwood and Mike Catt. The game ended 45-29 despite the resilience of the English in the second half.
The Rainbow Nation relish a Momentous Makeover
The grand finale of the 1995 edition was played between hosts South Africa and the rugby powerhouse New Zealand. An Ellis Park Stadium, packed with 63000 people, backed the home team to create an upset and beat the All Blacks.
Although the game featured no tries, it was not short of intensity and flare. A defensive game was deployed by South Africa to tame the fierce All Blacks attack. Andrew Mehrtens opened the scoring for New Zealand with a penalty after six minutes while Joel Stransky leveled the game 5 minutes later. As the counterparts went head to head with two more penalties, Stransky executed a drop goal to give South Africa a 9-6 lead at the half. In the second half, Mehrtens responded with a drop goal close to the hour mark to make it 9-9, which turned out to be the score at the end of the 2nd half. For the first time, a RWC final was forced into extra time. In the first period of extra time, the duel continued as Mehrtens made amends for his last minute miss during regulation time with a long range penalty but Stransky again leveled the scores to read 12-12.
It was Stransky who triumphed in the battle, as the flyhalf from Pietermaritzburg slotted a drop goal from 30 metres to seal the win for South Africa, 7 minutes from time.
Emotions were running high as a small team prayer was followed by the celebrations. The Rainbow Nation was reunited by fifteen brave men led by Francoise Pienaar who did the unthinkable. One of the most iconic moments of rugby history was captured when President Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springbok jersey, with Pienaar’s No. 6 on it, and waving his cap to the jubilant crowd, presented the Webb Ellis to the home skipper who raised it to the elated at the Ellis Park.
Moments before the presentation, TV anchorman David Van der Sandt questioned the victorious captain, “Francois, fantastic support from 63,000 South Africans here today?” Without hesitation Pienaar replied: “David, we didn’t have the support of 63,000 South Africans today, we had the support of 42 million South Africans”.
