Who captained South Africa when it won the 1995 Rugby World Cup?

Francois Pienaar captained South Africa when it won the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Pienaar was the Springboks’ flanker and captain during the tournament, which South Africa hosted. In the final at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park Stadium, South Africa defeated New Zealand 15–12 after extra time.

The victory became one of rugby’s most significant sporting moments because it followed South Africa’s return to major international competition after the end of apartheid-era isolation. President Nelson Mandela presented Pienaar with the Webb Ellis Cup while wearing a Springbok jersey bearing Pienaar’s number.

Mandela was not the captain; he was South Africa’s president and played a major symbolic role in the ceremony and national reconciliation story. Pienaar’s captaincy is also distinct from his club career with Transvaal and later Saracens. He won 29 Test caps for South Africa between 1993 and 1996.