The two representations of sport to be analyzed in this essay are pictures pertaining to South Africa's World Cup Rugby win in 1995. It is an undisputable fact that in 1995 South Africa's victory at the World Cup Rugby represented a plethora of achievements for the country as a whole. In exemplifying this triumph, the essay hopes to elucidate the various connotations associated with sports, the political, social and economic implications insinuated by sport representations and finally the essay intends on exploring how the two sporting representations ruminate contemporary society. .
In 1995 the World Cup Rugby was hosted by South Africa and this was received with great anticipation as the event heralded a time when the so called new' south Africa was being born, this conception was accompanied by the desire for South Africans to establish themselves as equals amongst other countries in the international community. The world cup victory not only demonstrated the prowess of South African rugby, but it also amplified South African potential. The rugby team represented South Africans at large.
The first picture is taken from an article printed in the Cape Argus on the 26 June 1995; the picture is of Francois Piennar (Springbok captain on teammate Hennie le Roux's shoulders holding the world cup trophy in one hand and his other hand above his head. The title of the article is SA scale summit of world rugby' and the caption below the picture read "WALKING TALL: SA captain Francois Pienaar, on the shoulders of Hennie le Roux waves to the crowd while clutching the William Webb Ellis trophy-.
The picture composition is structured in such a way that Francois Pienaar is above everyone else in the picture and seemingly on top of the world. Metaphorically speaking he is arguably on top of the world, at that point in time he was probably one of the happiest people in the world, he felt like a hero as he had successfully managed to lead his team to victory.