Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick reflects on the 1995 Rugby World Cup final as the greatest Test match he played, despite the loss, highlighting its historical significance and the subsequent 1996 tour victory in South Africa, as New Zealand prepares for another ‘old-school’ tour in 2026. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
Even though he was on the losing side that day in June 1995, former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick remains under no illusion about the significance of the historic clash.
“To get the opportunity in, you know, obviously in ’95 at Ellis Park — that was a disappointment, a lost opportunity. But it was still, for me, the greatest Test match I ever played in,” Fitzpatrick said.
The 63-year-old was speaking at FNB Stadium on Tuesday, where Castle Double Malt was announced as the title partner of ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ — the commercial name for matches between the Springboks and the All Blacks.
The Springboks went on to win the Rugby World Cup final at a capacity Ellis Park, with President Nelson Mandela sharing in the team’s triumph in a moment etched in South African history.
