Springbok star Makazole Mapimpi has got such a big heart
2 min read
Springbok star Makazole Mapimpi has got such a big heart.
On the numbers of your rugby jersey, you had to have photos of family members (printed) for the final. He only had photos of himself.
Coach Rassie Erasmus asked him, “Why are you doing this?”
He said he’s got nobody. His brother died, his mum died, his father… He doesn’t have a photo.
In the 2019 Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and England, South Africa claimed their third Rugby World Cup title with a 32–12 victory. They had tries from Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe, and six penalties and two conversions from Handré Pollard.
South Africa’s first ever try in a World Cup final came from possibly the player who has come from the most hopeless situation in the history of springbok rugby.
Makazole Mapimpi lost his mother, older brother and sister before he came a senior rugby player. He grew up in rural Twecu, in Tsholomnqa, just outside East London, and had the hardest background of all the who won South Africa its third Rugby World Cup title. He is a rural kid that didn’t go to a well-off rugby school, or get a shot at any of the youth rugby milestones.
“Who was Makazole playing for that day?” Rassie was asked.
“Obviously he was playing for South Africa, but he doesn’t play for one thing. He’s got such a big heart,” he responded.
Chasing the Sun is an Mnet documentary that profiles the Springboks World Cup 2019 journey and success – a must watch.
The documentary was made by SuperSport documentary in collaboration with the Springboks. It’s such a powerful production telling the moving tale of the Springboks’ path to redemption and World Cup glory in 2019.
This riveting documentary is a 5-part series providing unprecedented access, and the questions never asked spotlighting hidden truths in Springboks journey back to the pinnacle of international rugby, the Rugby World Cup.
