THE iPINIONS JOURNAL: South Africa’s Springboks win Rugby World Cup!

This is much bigger than South Africa rugby. To see our state president on the shoulders of one of the players, with the William Webb Ellis Trophy in his hands, there's no bigger statement in our country than that. What we need as a nation is to understand how big this is. There's no reason why South African rugby and South Africa can't take this as a huge plus and build on it. [Jake White – coach of the 2007 Rugby World Cup Champions - The South African Springboks]

I am not a rugby fan. But one does not have to be to appreciate the significance of South Africa’s 15-6 win over defending 2003 champions England in the World Cup final on Saturday in Paris, France.

Indeed, the mere picture of the team's predominantly-white players hoisting their black president, Thabo Mbeki, on their shoulder as they beamed with national pride speaks volumes.

(Incidentally, for my American readers who have no idea what this game is all about, just imagine football being played in soccer uniforms; i.e., with no pads! I know, crazy right...?)

But I am mindful that - 13 years after the end of apartheid - South Africa has only six black players on its 30-man national team. Therefore, the joy of this occasion had to have been tinged with a little resentment amongst blacks - who comprise 80% of the population; especially when one considers that rugby still defines the character of this country as much as soccer defines that of Brazil.

In fact, I remember well how much contempt people in democratic countries all over the world had for the formerly all-white Springboks. Because nothing symbolized, or indeed personified, the seemingly invincible apartheid regime of South Africa more than they did.

Therefore, the irony is not lost on me that one of those black players, Bryan Habana, was named the game’s player of the year by the International Rugby Board at a gala dinner in Paris last night. Not surprisingly, the Springboks were named team of the year, and Jake White - coach of the year

So here's to the Boks: the 2007 Rugby World Champions!

And let's hope that their victory imbues all South Africans with a sense of unqualified national unity...if only for a day.