South Africa Beat England to Win RWC

The Springboks overcame the odds to beat firm favourites England in a dominate display in the Rugby World Cup final in Yokohama on Saturday.

In an historic win, not just for the game, but for the country, South Africa overcame the odds to record their third world cup.

Led by captain Siya Kolisi, the first black man to captain the Springboks, they persevered through the boot of fly-half Handre Pollard and two second half tries from wingers Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe.

England never really looked like they were in the game, and despite four penalties from Owen Farrell, were chasing the score from the first minutes.

Praise has been heaped on both coach Rassie Erasmus and captain Kolisi, who have transformed the side from where they were just 18 short months ago when Erasmus took over as coach.

The first time South Africa won the Webb Ellis Cup was back in 1995, just one year after Nelson Mandela was elected president.

At the time, rugby was seen as past time for the white minority, and most of the black population did not want to see them succeed.  

However, following unwavering support from Mandela, the country started to rally round the team, and Mandela handed the trophy to Francois Pienaar after they beat New Zealand in Johannesburg.

That moment was seen as one of the most iconic of the post-apartheid era, though Pienaar has said that this year’s triumph was even more important.

“This is bigger”, he said.  “It is a transformed team with 58 million people watching in South Africa, all races wearing green, which wouldn’t have happened in my time.

“They play together and it makes them a successful team and that is a beautiful story for life and for a country.  As a country, to be world champion, you all need to work together”.

When the team fly back to South Africa they will embark on a nationwide tour, going to Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.