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South Africa Rugby Win Shows Power of Unity in Divided Nation

Anita Powell

   JOHANNESBURG - Thando Makasi has always been a rugby fan, she says-- a
   rare black supporter in a sport long associated with her country's
   white minority.

   But times are changing. On Saturday, South African rugby fans of all
   racial backgrounds cheered as a black player from her small,
   impoverished hometown, helmed the national rugby team, the Springboks,
   to a decisive 32-12 victory over England in a historic Rugby World Cup
   final.

   And so, for Makasi, this was about more than just a game.

   "This tournament has just brought so much hope," she said in
   Johannesburg as she watched the match at a downtown restaurant with her
   husband and 17-year-old son. "... We really are rallying behind the
   Boks and we are one together, strong together. We are stronger
   together. That's a win. That's a win for South Africa."

   The win, many fans said, is reminiscent of the nation's 1995 triumph at
   the same tournament. South Africa ended the racist apartheid system in
   1994. The next year, the country's first black president, Nelson
   Mandela, walked onto the pitch, wearing a green-and-gold Springbok
   jersey, to congratulate team captain Francois Pienaar. Their warm
   embrace showed this divided nation a path to racial reconciliation.

   Siya Kolisi, the squad's first black captain, was clearly aware of the
   implications beyond the pitch.