Can-do spirit and a receptive host country look to have opened new markets for what has been a virtually landlocked sport
On stage at the World Rugby awards ceremony on Sunday evening the extraordinary Siya Kolisi was asked what kind of public reaction he and his team were expecting on their return to South Africa. “I’m not sure,” replied the Springbok captain, a note of uncertainty in his voice. He sounded like a bemused lottery winner still attempting to compute how much his life had just changed.
The heartfelt roar from the entire South Africa squad when Rassie Erasmus was announced as the world coach of the year was equally endearing. As Erasmus admitted, the team did not arrive in Japan necessarily expecting a successful outcome; in his view three key things – hard work, luck and destiny – propelled them to victory. His squad, he said, did not just want to boost their country’s spirits, they felt an absolute responsibility to do so. To paint their triumph merely as a nice rugby story ignores the inspirational bigger picture surrounding it.
Related: Rugby World Cup awards: the best player, the best match – our verdicts
Related: Ten key themes as World Cup says sayonara to Japan | Paul Rees
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