Three decades since some 'Madiba Magic' inspired South Africa to their seminal win over New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, a Springboks legend has predicted the side are on course for an unprecedented third straight title at the next tournament in Australia.
Standing 6ft 7in tall, Mark Andrews was one of the pillars of that World Cup success on 24 June 1995, but even he would admit it was the towering presence of statesman Nelson Mandela that loomed largest on the day.
"He was worth putting our bodies on the line for because of what he'd done," said Andrews of the political prisoner turned South African President.
The final, played at Johannesburg's Ellis Park, around 1,800m above sea level, was going to be about the survival of the fittest in the rarefied Highveld air.
The game was eventually settled in extra time by a drop goal from Springboks fly-half Joel Stransky, as the hosts edged it 15-12.
Years later, when speaking to All Blacks great Ian Jones, who also played in the final, Andrews recounted the theory that the fitter Springboks had outlasted the visitors.
Jones shook his head and told Andrews why he thought South Africa won: "You guys had 16 men on the field. You had Nelson Mandela."
The 'Madiba' effect
Mandela had spent 27 years in prison but, after his release in 1990, he played a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transition from apartheid to democracy and was elected President in 1994.
His impact on the Springboks during the 1995 Rugby World Cup was immeasurable.
Mandela's friendship with captain Francois Pienaar would later come to life in the 2009 film 'Invictus', which starred Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon as President and player respectively.
During the final, Madiba - the clan name by which he was affectionately known - wore the Springboks colours, which had long been seen as a vestige of apartheid.
This gesture was a masterstroke, as he sought to recast the emblem for all South Africans, sprinkling his charisma, known as 'Madiba Magic', on the momentous occasion.
"I think back to what Mandela did, how he united a country by wearing that green Springbok jersey - the jersey of his oppressors - into the stadium," recalls Sean Fitzpatrick, who captained New Zealand in the final that day.
"I don't think anyone else could have done what he did in terms of uniting a country."
