By Sipho Ngwema
The Springboks may be the clearest expression yet of the South Africa many imagined in 1994 — a nation that is diverse, united and capable of excellence.
Those of us from Gugulethu grew up with football. The rugby and football pitches were on the same side of the tracks, and because rugby was free entry to the grounds, we often went to rugby and watched football from the stands.
But every so often a roar from the rugby crowd would force us to turn around. A try, a tackle, a moment of brilliance. Rugby constantly drew our attention.
That memory has been replayed to me more and more as the Springboks have become one of South Africa’s most celebrated institutions.
That story is more complex than a tale of transformation. Rugby was very much embedded in black communities long before democracy.
Rugby teams from the other side of the railway line were active, and tours and non-racial rugby traditions flourished in places that were excluded from the mainstream game. But what many communities did not fully own was the Springbok emblem itself.
Rugby was a battleground for change for much of the democratic era. The debate over quotas, merit and representation often framed transformation and excellence as in opposition. The question then was whether the Springboks could become more representative without sacrificing competitiveness.
Over three decades later, the answer is clear.
The Springboks are now more representative but they are also at one of the best moments in their history. World Cup victories in 2019 and 2023 under Siya Kolisi showed that transformation and excellence are not mutually exclusive.
Siya’s rise from Zwide to becoming the first black Springbok captain and World Cup-winning leader is a remarkable transformation in South African rugby.
Yet it is not only about one person winning but also about leadership. For Rassie Erasmus, transformation didn’t threaten merit; it was a path to talent. By doing such a big job of seeking excellence in the country, South African rugby grew for the better.
The result is here today. The Springboks are winning while rebuilding. The new players are integrated well with the established stars. The expectation is the same: compete and win. Great teams succeed; great systems create success.
All Blacks
For decades, the All Blacks were the benchmark of rugby excellence. Many South Africans had high respect for them, and for some black South Africans, support for New Zealand became part of a historical and emotional identity based on the complex nature of the Springbok symbol.
That history has not disappeared; nor should it be expected to. But the significance of the modern Springboks is that they have reduced the reasons why South Africans might feel excluded from supporting them. Mandela’s appearance in a Springbok jersey in 1995 was not an invitation to discover rugby. It was an invitation to reconsider what the Springbok could represent.
Today’s Springboks suggest that invitation has borne fruit. They are not just world champions. They are increasingly viewed as belonging to all South Africans.
Their success is an example beyond sport. Transformation works better if it expands opportunity as opposed to compliance. It works when institutions search more widely for talent and don’t lower the bar. The Springboks did not generate new talent; they unlocked talent that had always existed.
As a result the national conversation has changed. When the Springboks win, most South Africans are not debating quotas. They are celebrating together. For a brief moment, people with very different backgrounds rally behind the same cause.
Rugby can’t solve South Africa’s problems, nor should it carry that burden. But it does raise an important question: if transformation and excellence can support each other in one of the most competitive sports environments in the world, why do we so often assume they are incompatible elsewhere?
Perhaps the Springboks’ greatest achievement is not only winning trophies. It is showing that a national institution can become more representative while becoming stronger.
Which brings me back to those stands in Gugulethu. As children, we turned around whenever rugby made enough noise to catch our attention. Perhaps the Springboks’ journey has been something similar for millions of South Africans. We looked first as Mandela urged us to, then because the team started to change. Then because we started to see ourselves in it.
Now it is no longer necessary to ask who this team is.
The All Blacks are back in South Africa. They will face more than the world champions. They will meet a Springbok team that represents a national vision — transformation and excellence can grow alongside each other and everyone wearing the jersey belongs there.
Sipho Ngwema is a former NPA spokesperson and currently the spokesperson for the Competition Commission.
On Saturday, 22 August, the Springboks will play the All Blacks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg.
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