Cape Town — Who will ever forget the words of the commentator who declared: 'For the first time ever, the Springboks score a try in World Cup final' during the broadcast of the 2019 Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and England in Japan.
It may not have dawned on rugby fans that the 1995 and 2007 world champions had annexed the Rugby World Cup in two try-less finals. When Makazole Mapimpi scored a 66th-minute try it was the first-ever by the Springboks in a RWC final.
The moment in history will forever belong to Mapimpi, the winger who hailed from the rural Eastern Cape.
Last year the rugby fraternity learnt more about Mapimpi, when the riveting documentary Chasing the Sun was aired. In the documentary, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus breaks down as he talks about a conversation he had with Mapimpi, who for most of his life was without family support.
Tying up with Mapimpi's first historic try, the figure one figures prominently in the documentary's title Map1mp1.
Bongani Morgan, the director of the documentary, said: “Map1mp1 is a hero's journey story structure like no other, considering the trials and tribulations Makazole had to tackle to become the first South African to score a try in a Rugby World Cup final.
"From Twecu (a farmstead in Eastern Cape) to Tokyo, we uncover the raw Eastern Cape culture, juxtaposed with maladministration.
"It is a doccie layered in dichotomy, especially with some of our country's finest talent being Eastern Cape exports — the likes of Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am, the Ndungane brothers (Odwa and Akona) to name a few.
"What makes the documentary so compelling is its inherent nature of the classic hero’s journey arc that Makazole’s life had taken. It gives credence to the mantra that art indeed can imitate life, as rooted in truth and reality as our documentary is.
"Makazole strikes me as the sort of person who is true to form. What I mean is, he understands his role and purpose and fully devotes himself to that and that’s been remarkable to see the source of this humility and inner strength.
"That has been very evident throughout making the documentary as I learnt more about him.
"The greatest challenge for me was honouring his life story in the best way possible, and that challenge was bolstered by the obvious factors that can make any filmmaker be intimidated.
"How to make a true-life story relatable and engaging to a multi-racial, cultural and nuanced audience and the pressure of not letting everyone down, especially our hero, his family and esteemed colleagues.
"In a time where we’re confronted with so many social ills, I’d like the documentary to be in a lot of ways cathartic to the audience and that hopefully leads to a strong sense of pride and solidarity with one another.
"Ultimately, our documentary is a commemoration and a celebration of this tremendous figure and the world he represents."
Mike Sharman, the co-producer for Map1mp1, said that two Eastern Cape-born players combined splendidly to produce South Africa's first World Cup final try.
"From the outset, we noticed that Makazole is quiet and reserved when in public," said Sharman.
"We felt that there was a real depth of character there, especially when it came to social issues, to his own view on not just his personal self, but on situations affecting society at large.
"Along our documentary journey, many nuances were revealed around challenges faced within Eastern Cape rugby and Eastern Cape rural rugby in particular.
"After scratching the surface on that story alone, we realised that everything from playing rugby with plastic bags, to looking at the ways that the Eastern Cape rugby coaches and teachers wouldn’t necessarily coach the ‘chip n chase’ and kicking skills as part of the game.
"We thus found it incredibly insightful that the first South African try to be scored in a Rugby World Cup final actually occurred between two Eastern Cape-born players, using a ‘chip n chase’ skill and mentality.
"All of this combined, tells a remarkable story of an individual who just won’t quit."
Map1mp1 premieres on SuperSport Grandstand (201) on 27 March 2022 at 20:00.
IOL Sport