Ciaran Kearney: Deeper meaning fuelled Springboks' mission

The last time the All Blacks and Springboks competed in the Rugby World Cup Final was 1995, a year after the end of apartheid in South Africa.

CELEBRATIONS: Bongi Mbonambi celebrating after South Africa’s RWC win. Rugby saved him from the worst side of life, fuelling his passion and love for the game.

With the Indian Ocean temptingly close to the back of King’s Park, Bongi Mbonambi stood beside me chatting. Bongi was brought up in Bohlokong township in Bethlehem, 400km from where we stood at his current club, the Durban Sharks. His township had no grass pitch. Only he and one other got to attend a Model C school, where they had rugby. For Bongi, rugby saved him from the worst side of life, fuelling his passion and love for the game.

On the morning Bongi and I caught up, the Springbok hooker and South Africa’s vice-captain had his right leg in a full-length brace. Unfortunately, it was the same leg which he injured 90 seconds into last week's Rugby World Cup final as All Black Shannon Frizzell hurt him in a dangerous clear-out. Frizzell got a yellow card while Bongi got taken off. He took no further part in the match but reappeared later, on the sideline, enthusiastically encouraging his teammates playing the game. Such is the depth of psychological connection in this South African rugby team, that Bongi’s presence pitch-side was emblematic. Throughout the campaign, South Africa’s ‘squad depth’ was there for all to see. Less visible to outsiders was the depth of meaning in this Springbok team’s mission.