South Africa's Time Must Come Again

Wynne gray is a former senior rugby writer at the new zealand herald.

- Wynne Gray

ANNIVERSARIES FILL this month’s calendar as the Lions move towards the most telling phase in their New Zealand expedition.

Thirty years ago in an invitation-only tournament, the Rugby World Cup started life as a modest trans-Tasman event of questionable lifespan with the All Blacks claiming the inaugural title against the French.

Eight years later, in 1995, South Africa joined the rising wave of global rugby interest for the first time and also, remarkably, acted as hosts.

That dramatic conjunction brought stacks of different dynamics to a tournament which ended with a dramatic extra-time win to the Springboks against the All Blacks.

Since then, South Africa has been wrenched and pulled in many directions as the political and social forces juggled their aspirations with sport draped across those demands.

Only last month, the Ministry of Sport group, which has been monitoring transformation in sport, allowed South African rugby to place a bid to host another event.

South Africa is competing against Ireland who have yet to host the event and France who oversaw the 2007 tournament, with a decision expected towards the end of this year.