. ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁hosted ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup , ▁with ▁a ▁sur ge ▁of ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁among ▁the ▁white ▁and ▁black ▁communities ▁behind ▁the ▁s log an ▁" one ▁team , ▁one ▁country ." ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁international ▁sports ▁event ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁Rain bow ▁Nation . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁they ▁hosted ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁World ▁Cup , ▁the ▁Spring b oks , ▁co ached ▁by ▁K itch ▁Christ ie , ▁were ▁seed ed ▁nin th . ▁They ▁won ▁their ▁pool ▁by ▁defe ating ▁Australia , ▁Roman ia , ▁and ▁Canada . ▁W ins ▁in ▁the ▁quarter - final ▁against ▁Western ▁Sam oa ▁( 4 2 – 1 4 ) ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁semi - final ▁against ▁France ▁( 1 9 – 1 5 ) ▁sent ▁the ▁Spring b oks ▁to ▁the ▁final . ▁South ▁Africa ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Rugby ▁World ▁Cup ▁Final ▁against ▁the ▁All ▁Black s ▁ 1 5 – 1 2 ▁in ▁extra - time . ▁President ▁Nelson ▁Mand ela , ▁we aring ▁a ▁Spring b ok ▁sh irt , ▁presented ▁the ▁tro phy ▁to ▁captain ▁Franco is ▁P ien aar , ▁a ▁white ▁Af rik an er . ▁The ▁gesture ▁was ▁widely ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁step ▁towards ▁the ▁recon c ili ation ▁of ▁white ▁and ▁black ▁South ▁Afr icans . ▁ ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁cr ises ▁followed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁through ▁ 1 9