You expect a rugby ball to be thrown around at the Rugby World Cup, not accusations of one team being poisoned.
In a tournament that was as monumental for the nation of South Africa as it was for the game of rugby, the final became a monumental challenge for the All Blacks, 27 of who suffered varying degrees of food poisoning in the days leading up to the final.
Of course, it wasn't helped by the location: the final was against South Africa, the same nation the games had been hosted in, and New Zealanders were quick to point the finger at what increasingly looked like foul play.
“You can read what you like into that, but I don't think it was coincidence.
27 out of 35 All Blacks - yes, that is roughly 80% - fell sick at a fateful lunch, with only eight escaping the ill-fate, a remarkable coincidence in the eyes of coach Laurie Mains.
So deep was his belief of deliberate interference, amid whisperings of a mysterious waitress named Suzie, he hired a private investigator to get to the bottom of it.
Laurie Mains couldn't let go of allegations the All Blacks had been poisoned at the 1995 World Cup final. (Source: 1News)
"I've had it from two independent sources, rather by chance. I've had the results of an investigation that were done internally in South Africa revealed to me," Mains would later tell Holmes reporter Tsehai Tiffin.
The ABs battled through the illness, going on to a 9-9 deadlock at the 80 minute mark, which meant it was the first-ever Rugby World Cup final to go into extra time.
At one point, Jeff Wilson was taken off the field, and was seen visibly dry retching on the sidelines.
A monumental South African victory
Away from the poisoning saga, Nelson Mandela's role in the tournament cannot be overstated. His wearing of the Springbok jersey and his support for the team became a powerful symbol of reconciliation in a nation emerging from apartheid.
Mandela's strategic use of rugby, a sport historically associated with the apartheid regime, to unite the diverse population of South Africa was a masterstroke, and played in direct contrast to how divisive rugby had become during the 1981 Springbok tour in New Zealand.
The sight of Mandela presenting the trophy to Francois Pienaar, the captain of the Springboks, after the 15-12 win, transcended the boundaries of sports. It became a symbol of hope, unity, and the potential for positive change in a country that was undergoing a profound transformation.
The 1995 Rugby World Cup final remains one of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport, not just for its on-field drama and accusations of foul play, but for its broader significance in the socio-political context of South Africa.
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