Why you should watch the film Invictus based on Rugby to get truly inspired?

 

 

Why you should watch the film Invictus based on Rugby to get truly inspired?

It matters not how strait the gate

How charged with punishments the scroll

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul...

 

These are iconic lines from the famous poem ‘Invictus’ written in Victorian era by an English poet William Ernest Henley. Invictus literally means Unconquerable.

 

Nelson Mandela, the South African President derived resilience and indomitability from this poem to such an astounding effect that he could forgive his captors who imprisoned him for 27 long years. When in the prison, the great leader dreamt of a day when the people of his country would be judged not by the color of their skins but by their characters. When at helm, he ensured peaceful transition of power from white rule to majority rule.

 

I was looking forward to watching some good, inspirational movie and stumbled upon the film named Invictus directed by Clint Eastwood. Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela is fantastic and so is Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar – the rugby team captain.

 

We know that sport can be a powerful mobiliser of emotions and possesses an enormous power to unite people. The film is based on how Mandela used Rugby to unite his country, divided by apartheid.

 

When Mandela was released from prison in 1990, South Africa was on the brink of a civil war. Four years later, he found himself in the center of a political spectrum. Amidst simmering tension, he was appointed the first black president of South Africa. Many thought he would assert himself on the Afrikaners – the whites, known to commit atrocities on the black people. But he had plans of his own.

 

The film begins with Mandela’s car moving on a village road passing through colonies of the whites and the blacks on either side. The whites are playing rugby whereas the black kids are playing soccer. Mandela’s car attracts attention of everyone. The black kids are happy while the white think their country has gone to the dogs.

 

In 1995, the South African rugby team, also known as Springboks mostly had white players and was led by an inspirational captain in Francois Pienaar.

 

In a match played between South Africa and England, Mandela noticed something interesting. He saw the whites supported the South African team but the blacks were cheering for the English.

 

This left him wondering -

 

How could he unite his country divided on racial lines?

 

Will the whites be happy if people with a different skin color wear the green and gold Springboks jersey in their support?

 

During that year, South Africa, the rainbow nation as they call it, were allowed to host the rugby world cup as the apartheid era had ended and with it the international sanctions too.

Mandela resisted to cave into the demand to scrap the emblem of their country and urged his countrymen to rally behind the team.

 

His speech was inspirational –

 

Our enemy is no longer the Afrikaner. They are our fellow South Africans, our partners in democracy. And they treasure Springbok rugby. If we take that away, we lose them. We prove that we are what they feared we would be. We have to be better than that. We have to surprise them with compassion, with restraint, and generosity. I know. All of the things they denied us. But this is no time to celebrate petty revenge. This is the time to build our nation using every single brick available to us - even if that brick comes wrapped in green and gold. You elected me your leader. Let me lead you now.

 

To achieve his goal, Mandela met Francois over tea and shared the lines of the poem asking for his support to bring the country together.

 

The discussion they have during that meeting is also an interesting part of the film –

 

Mandela – How do you inspire your team to do their best?

 

Francois – By example. I’ve always thought to lead by example, Sir.

 

Mandela – Well, that is right. But how do we get them to be better than they think they can be? That is very difficult, I find. Inspiration, perhaps?

 

When asked by a friend on what did the President tell him, Francois says –

 

I think he wants us to win the World Cup.

 

During the lead up to the tournament, Mandela is encouraged by the support the team garners from the black community as they mingle with the players during a few PR events.

 

The team does well in the tournament to reach the final to meet New Zealand, a strong team, also known as All Blacks.

 

Before the final, led by Francois, the team visits Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned for many years. Francois recites the lines of the poem and finds deeper meaning to it. He derives the power from its words to find inspiration just like Mandela.

 

The stadium for the final is full with 63,000 people out of which 62,000 were whites. Mandela appeared in the stadium wearing green and gold colors to send a message to everyone that he stands firmly behind the team and wants his countrymen to do the same.

 

In a tough final, the Springboks write history defeating their opponents with a score of 15-12.

The image of Francois Pienaar receiving the trophy from Mandela still remains etched in the minds of his countrymen.

 

As a fan of sport, there is nothing more inspirational to watch an athlete like Francois Pienaar on the top of his game (as in the film) and an inspirational leader like Nelson Mandela master minding the victory of his team and the nation.

 

Such lives truly inspire.