Invictus Movie

Clint Eastwood is directing the movie Invictus, a feature film based on Nelson Mandela’s life during the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. The screenplay was penned by native South African writer Anthony Peckham, based upon the book Playing the Enemy written by John Carlin. The movie Invictus is starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela who was President of South Africa at the time, and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, the South African team captain. The film will open in theaters on December 11, 2009.

Invictus Movie Trailer

Update: the trailer of Invictus is now available!


INVICTUS

Here below a first look at Morgan freeman as President Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Rugby man Francois Pienaar:

(Click on a picture to enlarge it.)

Invictus Movie

Matt Damon Invictus Clin Eastwood on the set of Invictus Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in the movie Invictus


Plot:
“Invictus tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team (Damon) to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.”

Nelson Mandela – Morgan Freeman

Francois Pienaar – Matt Damon

Nelson Mandela is for sure a great man that deserves much respect. But I doubt I would be interested in watching his biopic if it wasn’t directed by Clint Eastwood. I usually find hard to watch biopic of people who are still alive: I’d feel like watching some TV report… But with a directorial talent like Clint Eastwood helming the project and with actors like Morgan Freeman and Matt Demon I can but give a try to the movie Invictus.
:)

49 Responses - “Invictus Movie”

  1. SuperDave

    Can’t wait to see this movie.
    However I must admit I find it odd that Pienaar at 6’6 is being portrayed by a guy who probably wouldn’t even be 5’6.
    I wonder if they will mention the fact they poisoned their opposition in the lead up to the final too. Its all history now, it can be rewritten however they want to. Mandela is a great man and deserves this.

  2. Mike Wrathell

    All of this is well and good, but the fact is that Clint is the man and I sure hope some screenwriter is up to the task of writing another movie that Clint can act in. A good Western would be nice, but anything with Clint on screen would bring joy to so many people for he is a movie icon.

  3. Roy

    To “SuperDave”

    “they poisoned their opposition”

    Man!! That must be the dumbest, most naive comment i’ve ever heard my entire 35years of existence!! Realy!! Like always! Tipical, KIWI!!, always finding an excuse. Dude!! You need to get out more!! And leave the conspiracy theories to people who give a damn!!

    • peter

      @Roy: i have a South African friend who openly admits the fact that they poisoned us in 95, plus in response to superdave, matt damon 5’10” is 130mm shorter than pienaar 6’3″ not 6’6″

  4. SuperDave

    Hey Roy

    I’ll say it a bit slower next time but I thought the mocking tone might have been a bit more obvious.
    It was a throwaway line buddy. Have a laugh and move on. Thats what I was doing. Geez, maybe you’re the one who should think about getting out more. Smile!

  5. hamish

    Roy !

    super dave is right, the did poisen nzl, u are naive and if u new anything about rugby history and the most inner workings u would realise the facts.
    stick to cross stich mate.

    should be great film, freeman is brilliant !

  6. COBB

    to “Superdave”

    Excuses are for losers…. ALL BLACKS will choke next world cup again.

    GO BOKKE!!!!

    And “Invictus” will become an all time Classic, leaving the Springbok name an even more and famous name in World sport…

  7. Superdave

    Almost as famous as the All Black name.

  8. Jay

    WTF are the All Blacks?

  9. bok ap

    The All Blacks alleged that a cook named “Suzie” poisoned them. They had food-poisoning, they ate bad food somewhere. You make it sound like our guys wanted to kill them. Stop crying.

  10. Joel

    The All Blacks are chokers and should rather just focus on their rugby than making up excuses everytime they lose. I’ve stopped counting everytime the Springboks lost because of dodgy ref’s and unlawful playing by the All Blacks. They can’t even comment on a movie without crying. Springboks have won 50% of all the World Cups they’ve played so just get over it. And we would have won the first two too if we had the opportunity to play. Feite.

  11. SuperDave

    I coughed up one throw away line and I’m crying?? It sounds like you guys might be feeling a little guilty. Not a chef are you?

  12. Lizzy

    Sounds like sour grapes if you ask me all those bad mouthing the Bokke – the world cup win of 1995 did South Africa great, and this movie is a fabulous way of celebrating such a historical moment – hopefully this movie is a huge success and will reunite all South Africans yet again

  13. Mike Wrathell

    I am from Detroit. Was on the set one day and saw Clint act a few scenes for “Gran Torino.” What a stud! This movie sounds like another winner. A great poem, too. So what is Bokke? What is Springbok? We Americans do not know a lot about rugby. As far as all South Africa being reunited again, that would be nice, but if the situations gets too racially tense, like in Zimbabwe, I hope the whites will be allowed to return to their native nations like England, the Netherlands, Scotland, whereever. If Africa wants to be all African, let it be all African. Maybe the best way to racial harmony is not forced integration.

  14. Papoose

    @Dave
    I guess you follow the same conspiracy theories like the CIA was responsible for 9/11.
    That conspiracy about “Susie” and the poisoning lost merit after we saw in the 3 world cups that followed that the Blacks are just actually a bunch of chokers.
    They can play the most attractive rugga’s but fall short when it really counts

  15. Wilfred

    Mike, in union rugby most of the competing nations call the teams by a name, very much the same as you guys with the “Dallas Cowboys”. South Africa’s team is known as the Springboks (or bokke for short) it means buck in English and is our national antelope. New Zeeland is known as the All Blacks, Australia as the Wallabies etc.

  16. Mike Wrathell

    Wilfred,

    Thanks for the background info. Now I understand. Being from Detroit, I root for all the Detroit teams. The Lions not those infernal cowboys in football. American football, of course. How are things in South Africa these days? Are Whites and Blacks living in harmony?

    Mike.

  17. JohanvanzyL

    INVICTUS
    Clint’s got the Midas touch….this movie WILL be great, as the man himself.

    Soundtrack by South-African BoyBand OVERTONE, now that is something to look forward to, another brilliant Clint Eastwood “move” ……

    GO OVERTONE…Go BOKKE!!!!

  18. Goose

    The All Blacks were sick, whether it was intentional or not will never be known but nevertheless, the springboks were the best team on the day and deserved to win it, as much as it pains me to say it!

  19. Kurt

    What can you say? Looks like it will be a great movie based on a moving story with Clint Eastwood behind the wheel. I expect that South Africa could end up with a lot of new fans for the next Rugby World Cup and even the upcoming Soccer World cup. This could help bring respectability to Rugby in the United States, and could help grow the sport. My guess is that if this movie is even half of what it could possibly be, the USA Rugby Community should make Clint their Man of the Decade.

  20. Ecobulb

    Goose is right, the AB’s were sick. They lost. Who cares, it’s in the past. If the AB’s loosing unites a f***ed up country like SA and helps to stop all that racial oppression, then sweet. But NZers, don’t go around bagging the Boks, since then they’ve proved they can beat the AB’s a whopping 12 out of 36 games. And the way the AB’s have performed recently I’m not surprised it got that high. Would also like to remind South Africans that NZ was turned inside out because of SA’s apartheid policy during and after the ’81 tour. Now there’s a chance for another decent rugby story.

    What really gets me about this movie is that you have an American director, who knows nothing about the game with an actor who knows nothing about the game and another actor, african by descent he might be but South African he is not. Why wouldn’t he go and get a REAL SA boy to play the part of Francois Pienaar or Nelson Mandela. Damn I’ve waited a long time for a good film with some Ruggy in it and here goes a great story getting screwed up by the bloody Americans, again. There we go ladies and gentlemen, blame it on the Yanks, just another good story screwed. Haha.

    BTW Clint, Matt and Morgan are all the man.

  21. Johan van Zyl

    I begged to differ to “Mr.” Ecobulb views and attitute towards South Africa as being a F**ed up country. It is people like him who make’s this wonderfull place F**ed up.

    How F**ed up can one be criticising South Africa, the All Blacks, the Invictus movie, Americans…everything that lives..It just proves my point in that the movie is not even out yet, but “mr.” Ecobulb acts if he actually seen it. but sure, he’s got a good say about it… jealousy, verbal Diarrhoea?

    What you can blame on the Yanks sir, is the fact that they are investing millions of dollars in South Africa, they got the best of friends living here, they want to be part of the solution and not like you, Mr eco-idiot, part of the problem in South Africa.

    Im proud to know Americans, to be associated with Americans, to have friends and family who are American citizens, and I would like to suggest that Mr Eco-idiot take a look into the mirror, and he will see the full picture, the reason why some people thinks that South Africans and their people are F**ck up.

    JOB well done to the Americans, great job with the movie, great actors (Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon), a legendary film director, MR Clint Eastwood, Thank you for caring sir.

    Now, if I had to swear, which I never do, I would have called Mr. EcoBulb a fucking idiot, but I dont, so I wont.

    Regards

    Johan van Zyl (Proudly South African)

  22. Mike Wrathell

    I am glad we Americans are not universally disdained. Clint rocks and decided to use some American actors, maybe for the movie to play well at home and make rugby more popular, and he is good friends with Morgan who he was in Unforgiven with. Morgan is a great actor, and seems a good choice for Mandela. Matt is a good actor, too, and, though short, like many actors, he seems to be able to play just about any role he is called upon to play.

    I am an artist, by the way, if you click on my name, it will take you to my website.

    I was on the set of “Gran Torino,” the film Clint made in Metro Detroit right before “Invictus,” and you can tell Clint loves to make movies and loves to act. This new film will be a joyous experience. Clint is a perfectionist, and will prove the naysayers wrong.

    I hope all the animosity on this site will end. Sport should not make one a cutthroat bastard. Sport is an art form. Enjoy it. If your team wins, great. If you team loses, feel empathy for the joy of the winners and their fans and better luck next time.

    Am I right, or am I wrong?

  23. Bayliss

    What do you call 22 New Zealander’s watching a world cup final?

    The All Blacks

  24. hiSTORY

    I’m am one of what I thought was perhaps a rare breed. I have professionally played Rugby Union, I have a bachelors degree in Film and I have personally met several of the players, All Blacks and Springboks, from the 1995 world cup match.

    All I can say is this. The film looks like it should be great. Clint Eastwood is a masterful story teller who endows his films with a humanity that allows the audience to fully invest themselves within the characters. If anyone would be up to telling this amazing story, it would be him.

    My only concern is this. Yes, I have met players from both teams and yes The All Blacks did have food poisoning. However, whether by sabotage or not, New Zealand lost. South Africa was united in victory and were able to take another big step froward on the path to racial and social harmony.Yet Ironically, the very country who are in many ways the ‘villains’ of this rugby story are also one of the reasons that South Africa had been forced into fielding a racially ‘mixed’ team in the first place. As that Eco guy pointed out, it was New Zealands Extreme uproar and public reaction to South Africa’s ‘White only’ rugby tour in 1981 that forced many to confront the issue of apartheid on an international scale.

    It would be only too easy to call the tiny,food poisoned, freedom fighting nation from the bottom of the world; ‘The Bad guys’.

  25. Mike Wrathell

    Cool, History, thanks for the info.

    That is too bad NZ’s AB suffered food poisoning. It might have been someone/s from SA, but I like to think the team did not have anything to do with it. Sports can be so cut-throat. I played ice hockey for 6 years as a kid, and I did a dirty thing or two once in a while to win. I am not proud of it, but I was a teenager and not yet a grown man. For a grown man to cheat at sports, or a fan to cheat for his team to win is amoral and unacceptable.

    That being said, I am sure the story Clint will weave will be a good morality tale, even if it does not address the poisoning issue, though it might for all I know.

    I hope Clint acts again. I wish I could write a great screenplay for him.

  26. Eduard

    I am a South African who experienced the 95 world cup. It was a time of much doubt, fear and uncertainty. The 1995 World cup was more than just a Rugby game to us. It was the last bit of South Africa as we knew it, as well as all about the new South Africa we did not.

    Nelson Mandela is, was and will be a great president. We should however not forget about where he came from. What he stood for, and who supported him. As a President, he achieved more than most expected.

    There will be never again a Francios Pienaar and a 1995 team. They had more on their sholders than just to win the world cup on home ground.

    I am looking forward to watching this movie. The should be lost of mixed feelings I am sure. Clint Eastwood is a great director and always do proper research when directing a movie. Matt Damon as Francios were a good choice, and Morgan Freeman perfect for Pres. Mandela.

  27. YankeeKiwi

    Matt Damon as Francois Piennar — how sweet!!! Awwwwwwwwwwwwww

  28. Euan Robinson

    The All Blacks have a win percentage of 74.4% ,no other country comes close !!! they have dominated the sport of rugby for over one hundred years , the next time you want to talk about the All Blacks chocking you should give yourself an uppercut ,they have won a world cup ,smashed the boks and Aussi in the Tri nations almost every year since it started and all this from a country of 3 million people,you spring boks talk about your amazing season you just had ,you just lost twice to two english club sides,you need to get a grip, The All Blacks had food pisioning thats a fact, who did it we will never know ,what I do know is The All Blacks Have always and will always be better then you

  29. ex kiwi in the states

    I think it was in 1981 that the Springboks played a couple of matches in the US and was met with serious anti apartheid protests including bombings of some rugby club houses. The locations of the matches were kept secret. Nightline and Ted Koppel did a program on the tour. A little side show to Invictus

  30. razeemzk

    @SuperDave : dude he aint 5’6″ he’s 5’10″…. he’s a master in his art man dont try pull him down

  31. patrick

    Am I dirty about the world cup final of 1995?……. YOU BET YOUR SWEET CHEEKS I AM ! every other world cup NZ has choked and lost but this year they were nobbled and South Africa knows it….say what you like everyone else, I’ll never watch this film

  32. Johan

    It is your good right to watch or don’t watch any movie you wish….also your good right to have sour grapes regarding your All Black team getting whipped (again) in the Word Cup. get over it, its history. Remember 1981 in NZ where your referee gave the ALL BLACKS a penalty 7minutes into extra time!…..in order to let you win the series…..The Boks got one back on you….What goes around comes around, or is it the other way round?……lol….

    Johan

  33. Aylla

    However, Matt Damon is on the movie cast, so i’m totally going to watch this movie as earlier as i can!
    Matt Damon is one of my favorite actors, and he’s in my “top 10”, and he’s in the third place :D hahaha he’s great!

  34. sinista

    Forgetting all the other shit being talked here I only have comments relating to the 95 World Cup.
    30 of the 34 New Zealand players and managers suffered from food poisoning before the final against South Africa. The 4 who were not effected sneaked out and got take aways. Whether this was done on purpose or not can be debated, the fact that they were food poisoned can not.
    If you watch the final there are many obvious signs of this. Eg when Jeff Wilson is subbed off and he is vomitting on the field. Players were shitting diahorrea in the scrums.
    IMO New Zealanders dont blame the South African team for winning, we are just not happy that we lost is such an underhanded way. There is alot of evidence suggesting that bookies arranged the food poisoning. Either way the All Blacks were able to push the Bokkes to extra time while being severely ill.
    I imagine the film will buildup this great fairytale win by the Bokkes for the sake of their nation. For a New Zealander who knows the facts thats hard to swallow. The Bokkes should have been able to destroy the All Blacks if they truly deserved to be champions. That said, if winning the World Cup really did unite South Africa and break down the walls of racism and hate then im happy we lost.

  35. Facebook User

    As an American, I will try to inject a bit of objectivity into this discussion. First, it is a shame that the All Blacks had food poisoning. I just recovered from a bout of it myself and accidentally flushed my cellphone down the toilet last night due to weakness, exhaustion, and just being out of it. So, I am sure that helped the Boks quite a bit.

    I saw “Invictus” and it was a gem. Clint is the man. “Unforgiven” remains my favorite Eastwood flick, but this one is a doozy. It would have been interesting had he incorporated the known facts about the food poisoning of the All Blacks, but I guess it was not in the script.

    The tone of some of these posts is very hostile. There is no reason for All Blacks and Boks fans to be bitter and hostile. I am sure the All Blacks have done quite well for themselves since 1995, right?

    I think the Boks probably had nothing to do with serving the All Blacks their meals while in South Africa. It is highly probably that someone/s from South Africa who was not on the Boks was the impetus for the idea and its implementation.

    All of that aside, this is supposed to be about the movie. So go see it if you have not. And if you google me, you can see my art. I am a modern artist. I hope to be a big fish someday in the art world and have have in the great art museums of both of your rugby-loving nations.

    Maybe we can all go to a game and have some untainted food and some good beer.

  36. Rhino

    There is no doubt the All Blacks were deliberately poisoned. At their Thursday hotel lunch, 48 hours before the final they were almost to a man poisoned including management. Interestingly 4 players who were tired of eating their carefully planned healthy diet that day, snuck away for pizza. These 4 guys were the only team members completely unaffected as told by Eric Rush. The poisoning took its affect only 3 hours after the meal, regular food poisoning takes 8 hours plus generally. A few made it to dinner that night, and no one made it to breakfast the next morning, apart from the 4 who ate the pizza. A scheduled training on Friday, was cancelled, and the team went to a park and lay under some trees as they had zero energy. The All Blacks security guard, a South African who went on to become Mandela’s chief bodyguard, Rory Steyn gives an excellent account of the deliberate poisoning in his book “One Step Behind Mandela.”

    Although the All Blacks lost in overtime, they still got something from it. Those who played that day made a pact, to come back to South Africa the following year and beat the same Springboks like rented mules. And so they did in the 1996 series. (as told by Zinzan Brooke)

    It is a disgrace this was allowed to happen, and was then simply white washed as All Black sour grapes. The perpetrators of this crime knew full well, the subject was too sensitive for any serious investigation to take place.

    South Africa has a history of politically motivated poisonings, so why should this episode really shock anyone. It certainly did not shock the All Blacks, as they were very vigilant against this type of sabotage because of previous tours to South Africa. Unfortunately they were denied their own New Zealand chef by the hotel for the FINAL WEEK ONLY. This very fact really should raise an eybrow or two. (As told by Zinzan Brooke)

  37. Facebook User

    Thank you, Rhino, for throwing in a book title and for some good info. One thing you did gloss over, though, is who poisoned the All Blacks. I don’t think anyone can logically assume it was the Springboks themselves.

    I like that phrase you used “like rented mules.” That just made me smile again. Awesome use of the English language, my friend. And, I agree, a serious investigation of the subject was probably not high on Mandela’s bucket list, as it were…..

    That being said, I hope you will forgive Clint for making the movie and I hope you see or have seen it and hope you enjoy it for what it is. The movie really did push what the magic of film is able to do to the human soul. Clint is a master and Morgan was given a very good script and he and Matt had flawless performances.

    It is a shame that Avatar will probably deny Clint another Oscar. I thought he should have gotten one for Gran Torino. I hope Clint has a few more movies left in him, but he will always have Unforgiven.

    “We all got it comin’, kid.”

  38. CJ

    Come on guys, lets not be cute about it. In the tournament, the All Blacks were the best team at the cup and made it to the final by terrorising the opposition in every single game. The English in particular were smashed about like amateurs – as an impartial rugby fan it was a true joy to watch.

    South Africa ia a GREAT rugby nation but they needed to win this world cup AT ALL COSTS. If they didn’t how could they unite the people as they promised they would. There so much riding on this. I have no doubt whatsoever that food poisoning played a part in the result. If you ignore that then you are ignoring what was plainly obvious on the day.

    I was there to watch the final as a rugby journalist and I saw many All Blacks either being sick (Jeff Wilson) or others affected by the poisoning on the sidelines and obviously struggling.

    And before you South Aficans (as the ones above) get all defensive about this, it isn’t an attack on you, your country or your rugby team. New Zealand has been the BIGGEST supporter and fans of South African rugby. Their support of your nation has torn their own nation in half – in the name of rugby – so that your nation could have a decent opposition during the dark years of apartheid.

    I won’t be watching this movie. Revisionist nonsense. (and no I am not a Kiwi or Aussie)

  39. Dale Ferreira

    Hi Rhino,

    You seem sour, I would be too, New Zealand have been to every World cup and have come away champs once. were you poisend in france and wales too. Or maybe Ruben Thorne contracted herpes after beating his wife and the making up.

    Were the chiefs poisened in the last super 14? New Zealand have undeniably been the best in the world for some time. but alas, the Webb Ellis guy escapes you.

    don’t be sour. it is after all, just a game that you lost. Hell I’m sour about many loses we in South Africa have had to deal with. I went to the toilet giving up faith in us in the 2007 tri-nations. I heard roars from the toilet and messed a little urine on my shoe to hurry up only to see the replay of Ricky Januarie apart.

    Well, now that were mates i’m glad we can accept losses together, if you are ever in SA lets have a beer.

    PS: i have a mate with a sheep farm.

  40. Facebook User

    Hi CJ, Rhino, Dale, et alii:

    As an American, I must say I am very proud of Clint for making this movie. He is getting up there and does not have that many movies left in him, I am afraid. He went to a lot of trouble to bring this uplifting story to being. It transcends revisionsist nonsense, CJ, really. Are you a Clint fan? He knows what he is doing and made another gem of a flick.

    Obviously, if I am to believe your accounts here, and I do, the All Blacks were intentionally given food that was supposed to, and did, make them ill so that they would lose the game.

    There is no proof, however, that the Springboks had anything to do with it. I sure hope not. South Africa is a big country and to think the Boks had something to do with it seems a bit paranoid. Did Mandela order it? Perhaps. Maybe we should waterboard him, huh? I heard it worked wonders on KSM when we Americans did it on his terrorist butt, well, face.

    If the All Blacks are so good, why have they won so few World Cups? What % of World Cups played have they won? Seems like they should have won at least 50% of them if they are as dominant as they are made out to be here, maybe even 75%.

    In closing, even though it seems clear the All Blacks had terrible, intentionally-inflicted food poisoning at the hands of Bok fans (not the Boks themselves), and that the World Cup victory of the Boks of 1995 is thus also tainted, “Invictus” is still a great movie. Yes, it does not take into account the food poisoning, and one can make a sound argument that it should, but even so, it is a damn good movie with very redeeming qualilities, writen by a South African, so please don’t hold it against Clint Eastwood.

    All you rugby fans and All Blacks fans, please support Clint Eastwood. He is a real man who has made great movies and is not a fan of corruption. I hope some journalist asks him about the food poisoning allegations and I am curious to know if he has heard about them.

    Clint is a honest, brave man who does not make revisionist movies if he can help it. I am sure he thought the message of the film was an important one, with a valuable lesson about forgiveness and how racism can tear a nation apart and lead to civil war and mayhem. If anyone’s feet should be held to the fire on this movie, it should be the South African who wrote the script and ended up embarassing Clint. However, even the food poisoning incident, the movie is good enough, and important enough that I am glad it was made.

  41. Ann Thomas

    I am a 70 year old white South African woman. I did not choose apartheid. It was thrust upon me. I welcome anything and everything that will help us to become a nation undivided by race or religion. This film does just that. I rejoice and give thanks to the author of the book, who was not South African and the script writer who was, and especially to Clint Eastwood for so successfully, in my opionion, managing both the black and white concerns very sensitively. I salute Clint Eastwood for tackling a game unfamiliar in the USA. Whatever the discrepancies of the game, to those in the know, were more than adequately made up by his encouraging us as individuals to look within, and surpass our own limitations. We need just such a film now that Soccer 2010 looms on the horison. We also need reminding that we can become a non racial and united rainbow nation. This was Mandelas dream and it should be ours as well.

  42. Grant R

    I heard an interesting thing on the radio a few days ago. The man who was the “rugby consultant” on this film is a Kiwi ex-pat living in LA (if I remember rightly). He was interviewed and said that it was a good thing they had someone who understands the game well because the rugby side of the movie was going to be butchered (my own words but basically what he said). I think it is wonderful that he became involved in the movie and gave such a wonderful game the grace it deserves (not that I’ve seen it).

    Regardless, I think that everyone needs to calm down about the whole food poisoning issue. I have to say that even though the All Blacks were clearly not at their best the chance of racial equality in any nation is more important than any sport competition ever could be. I would assume that this was one of the factors that went into giving SA the world cup in the first place.

    I can’t help but feel disgusted by several comments made on this page, attacking each other over pointless issues when really the bigger issue is so much greater. That would be people with Kiwi and South African loyalty. I feel the pain for the AB’s being a Kiwi myself but I can completely understand the motivation for any South African to want to eliminate a threat to a potential social fix.

    I plan to watch this movie and then comment further. I do feel sad that the food poisoning aspect has been left out of it for the simple reason that it is a significant issue and that it is a great real life illustration of how there are necessary evils in life.

    I hope the soccer world cup goes great over there, NZ has made it in for the first time since I have been on this mortal coil and I intend to make the most of any victory or loss.

  43. Hugh

    As an All Black-supporting South African, I find the comments about food-poisoning somewhat disturbing.
    I guess I’m going to support the British and Irish Lions from now on.
    The sour taste of conspiratorial blameworthiness is disconcerting.
    If it were true that the AB were poisoned, why did they not field their 2nd team, and THEN blame SA for food-poisoning where they’d lost?
    It would’ve sounded more convincing then?
    Sorry Kiwis … going to miss wearing the silver fern.
    Viva LIONS

    PS …

    When the results reflect a 3 point difference at the end … HOW does one convince anyone else that the difference lay in food-poisoning?

  44. MissA

    I just finished watching this movie, well nearly finished. I couldn’t stomach the lack of fact around the final. It was a pretty big deal to our tiny little country and cheating shouldn’t be acceptable for any gain I was lead to believe. I guess that part of the story didn’t tie in with the theme, which I understand but it happened and should have been mentioned. Otherwise I would have enjoyed the film.

  45. Mike Wrathell

    Hi Miss A.,

    I take it you are from New Zealand. Yeah, that was a shame your team got food poisoning. I like to thing the Boks had nothing to do with it and I think that would be the logical thing to think, too. I think a fan of the Boks was behind it. Maybe Mandela was behind it. Who knows? But to think the team or the players were behind it is pushing it. I bet they were not in the kitchen of the All Blacks hotel tainting their food.

    Yes, it would have been nice had Clint mentioned it, but he was going with the script and he is like 80 now, and he probably did not even know about it, or found out after he was already making the movie, so please do not blame him. He is a good, kind, honorable man. He is making another movie with Matt Damon now. In Europe. I read about it on his Wikipedia entry.

    I have a Wikipedia entry, too, for being a notable artist, even though I have yet to grace the walls of an art museum. Maybe one day if I do not cheat and ruin my reputation for an easy win, huh? *s*

  46. Dispicale

    Anyone else notice how Nelson and Morgan look so much alike!!! Strange world. :D

  47. fastpoose

    No doubt about it, no conspiracies THE POISONING happened…! New Zealand & The ALL BLACKS got on with it and over it, and finally won another WC in 2011. One thing people are forgetting is the price (thousands of dollars for every tackle made) a company put on Jonah Lomu’s head, for any South African to tackle him in the FINAL, it was DISGRACEFUL stuff…

    We won’t even talk about Hanse Cronje and the corruption in SA cricket some years back…