As both internal strife and international outrage mounted, new president F.W. de Klerk declared in 1990 that he would lift the ban on the ANC and other anti-apartheid groups, as well as repealing the censorship of the press. More significantly, De Klerk announced that, along with other prisoners convicted of non-common-law crimes, ANC leader Nelson Mandela would be released from prison.

To unbridled joy Mandela was released on 11th February 1990. He immediately declared a redoubling of efforts against apartheid but affirmed his commitment to peace and democracy. By 1991 de Klerk’s government had repealed all apartheid laws and in May 1994 Mandela was sworn in as president after the first non-racial democratic election had resulted in an overwhelming majority for the ANC.

In the midst of the tension, in June 1988, the IOC adopted a declaration against apartheid in sport – reinforcing the UN’s rigorous stance on apartheid sports.

Following the legal end of apartheid in 1991, the European Community was quick to lift its boycott on South African sports. But it wasn’t until 1995, and the newly-unified nation’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup, that South Africa would undergo its supreme moment of sporting catharsis.

It was perhaps fitting that South Africa’s ultimate unifying, redemptive moment would come in a sporting competition that the nation had helped to create.

Indeed, South Africa had been instrumental in the creation of the Rugby World Cup in 1985. Still in the midst of apartheid and the global sporting boycott, the nation’s rugby union had the casting vote at an International Rugby Board (IRB) summit in Paris. England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland opposed the World Cup concept, but France, New Zealand and Australia were in favour. South Africa’s crucial vote went in favour of an event that the country would be banned from participating in until 1995.

Playing under the ‘one team, one nation’ mantra, fate seemed to sweep South Africa to the final where they were to face New Zealand in Johannesburg. Concerted efforts had been made to foster a feeling of the ‘rainbow nation’ during the tournament. Some sceptics pointed to the inclusion of Chester Williams, the one black player in the South African team of 1995, as a post-apartheid publicity stunt. But Williams had won his place on merit as he proved throughout the tournament, tormenting opposition defences, notably scoring four tries in the quarter-final against Western Samoa.

A defensive game saw South Africa edge out New Zealand in extra-time through a drop goal by Joel Stransky, but the game was one of the most poignant ever played in the sport. As the teams lined up on the pitch moments before kick-off, newly elected and visibly frail President Nelson Mandela greeted the players dressed in a replica of Springbok captain Francois Pienaar’s jersey. The symbolism was immense and was lost on not one of the players, 63,000 spectators in the ground, nor the millions watching around the world.

The New Zealand captain that day, Sean Fitzpatrick, recalls the feeling of being up against an entire, unified nation rather than just 15 players: “To see him walking into the stadium with Francois’ jersey on, and to hear 72,000 people start chanting Mandela, Mandela…. Then there’s 15 of us there looking, thinking ‘God, how are we ever going to beat these buggers!’”

South Africa scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen remembers: “I think the best thing was to see him in a Springbok jersey, that was the best thing for us – it was a total surprise. Then we realised that the whole country is behind us, and for this man to wear a Springbok jersey was a sign, not just for us, but for the whole of South Africa, that we have to unite, and we have to unite today.”

Francois Pienaar, the Springbok captain, was rendered almost inarticulate by the emotion of the event. He says: “What happened was Nelson Mandela said ‘thank you very much for what you've done for South Africa’ but I said ‘thank you for what you've done’. I almost felt like hugging him but it wasn't appropriate, I guess. Then I lifted the trophy which was unbelievable. I can't describe the feeling as I wouldn't do it justice.”

For Mandela to appear in the Springbok jersey was the ultimate gesture of forgiveness and unification. South African rugby had adopted the springbok as its mascot and centrepiece of its logo in 1906. It subsequently became the emblem of the ruling National Party during apartheid. At the decree of the new ANC government every other national sports team switched its emblem to the protea flower from 1994, but, after a personal intervention from Mandela, the rugby team was allowed to continue its use of the springbok alongside the protea flower – a gesture of goodwill to the largely white, Afrikaner rugby fans.

Tokyo Sexwale, a former anti-apartheid activist and premier of Guateng Province in South Africa, went some way to explaining the feelings of the newly-unified nation: “Only Mandela could wear an enemy (Springbok) jersey. Only Mandela would go down there and be associated with the Springboks. The liberation struggle of our people was not just about liberating blacks from bondage, but more so it was about liberating white people from fear. And there it was. Fear melting away. People were shouting, ‘Nelson! Nelson!’ And who were these people, these rugby crowds? They were our jailers, our oppressors; the people guarding the borders, the police stations. But it was, ‘Nelson! Nelson!’ We stood there and we didn’t know what to say.”

He added, “As president of the country, he could have just ended up in the box and given them the cup. But to stand with them, to move his hands in the air, to wear that jersey, to have that cup, to lift the cup for them, and to greet the people… you sat there and you knew that it was worthwhile. All the years underground, in the trenches, denial, self-denial, away from home, prison: it was worth it. For, truly, that day, we supped with the gods.”

It was truly a watershed moment in South Africa’s history, and one that is soon set to receive the silver screen treatment – Morgan Freeman is due to play the role of Nelson Mandela as John Carlin’s 2008 book ’Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a Nation’ is translated onto film this year.

Some 12 years later in 2007 the Springboks would once again triumph in the Rugby World Cup. The tournament victory in France was crowned by the achievements of South Africa’s black winger Bryan Habana. Habana scored a record-equalling eight tries and was later named the 2007 IRB player of the year.

The turn of the millennium saw a 69-year old Basil D’Oliveira return to the Newlands stadium in Cape Town for a ceremony honouring the 10 greatest South African cricketers of the century. It was the first time he had ever set foot on the field of his hometown ground but he was welcomed with a rapturous reception. 

This article is part of SportsPro's History of Sport series. Click below for the other features in the series:

History of Sport: Yankee Stadium
History of Sport: Sail of the Century
History of Sport: The Munich Air Disaster