Francois Pienaar interview – 20 years on
Rugby Fifteen was fortunate enough to catch up with this remarkable man and Captain of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks, Francois Pienaar. The 1995 squad reunited yesterday, 20 years after they lifted the trophy and changed South Africa forever.
FP: You don’t have to ask me how it’s going cause I’m on top of the world
Your emotions for today?
Very emotional. I woke up this morning and I weld up because it dawned on me that 20 years ago I woke up with a cocktail of emotions. You want to play. You want to get to the field. Eagerness too. Fear of disappointing and the same thing happened this morning. I did a couple of interviews and every time I weld up like I’m doing now. It’s just very special. I find it difficult to wrap it up in a sentence or two. What happened 20 years ago made this country stand up for the first time and we became a nation for the first time. We didn’t know it was going to be this big we had a sense that this was something that is extra ordinary but we in our wildest dreams couldn’t image what happened 20 years agao.
Are those memories still vivid?
FP: Oh ja, very clear. I haven’t watched the game. This afternoon I believe they are replaying the game and we are going to do some twitter on our emotions. The reason why I haven’t watched the game is that romance. You don’t want that romance to be tainted by maybe I missed that tackle. I think it is selfish almost, the fact almost that it is just so special that anything that happens after doesn’t really matter.
The feeling around Nelson Mandela, Kitch Kristie, Ruben Kruger not being with us today?
FP: There are five people that we will have a drink on tonight and the incredible role that they have fulfilled in our lives, again you get me emotional here because it was just so special.
Our coach was phenomenal I don’t think people gave him enough credit. His track record was 100% victorious. 14 test matches coached and won. He had a profound influence on me as the captain.
Ruben Kruger was just immense. As my flank mate he was just a mountain of strength.
Ron Holder that kept us together, Russel that was our media liaison officer and the two other people that was not part of the squad the sixteenth man Madiba and his magic.
If it wasn’t for him (Madiba) this country would not have been together. I would have not been able to wear this (pointing to his balzer). Madiba saw this, the Spingbok emblem, as a symbol of unification. The team adopted this slogan (FP pointing to the “one team one country slogan banner”). We will miss him tonight and say thank you for his Madiba Magic
Written by Ansia Joles / Rugby 15
Photo: Anton Geyser / Rugby 15
Related Posts
« NSW WARATAHS SEMI-FINAL TEAM ANNOUNCED EP GRAND CHALLENGE PREVIEW FOR JUNE 27 »
