UNITED KINGDOM: RUGBY UNION - Ex-Springbok Francois Pieneer is thrilled about Rugby World Cup movie
Record ID:
220524
UNITED KINGDOM: RUGBY UNION - Ex-Springbok Francois Pieneer is thrilled about Rugby World Cup movie
- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: RUGBY UNION - Ex-Springbok Francois Pieneer is thrilled about Rugby World Cup movie
- Date: 2nd February 2010
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 31, 2010) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) VARIOUS OF WOMAN DISPLAYING RUGBY WORLD CUP AT "INVICTUS" PREMIERE (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS WIDES OF RED CARPET (2 SHOTS) TRACKING SHOT ALONG CROWD AT BARRIER MORGAN FREEMAN ARRIVING AT PREMIERE CLINT EASTWOOD TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR/DIRECTOR, SAYING: "I'm a big fan before I started the movie I went and watched a lot of rugby games and talked to rugby coaches and various things like that and yeah, I like the game." DAMON WITH FRANCOIS PIENAAR, WHO HE PORTRAYS IN THE FILM (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRANCOIS PIENAAR, FORMER SPRINGBOKS RUGBY CAPTAIN, SAYING: "Well first of all he's good looking, he's intelligent, he's a bloody good actor and all those three I'm not. So to have him play me is quite surreal, actually. It's quite bizarre. In the movie-- when you've lived it you can sometimes be over critical because there's certain things where you say 'I would do that different' and there's some acts that he just gets so well. The one scene on Robben Island, when I watched it in LA, I became very emotional. He's a very, very gifted actor." PIENAAR TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRANCOIS PIENAAR, FORMER SPRINGBOKS RUGBY CAPTAIN, SAYING: "Well I got choked up in that scene (a scene on Robben Island from 'Invictus') and my little boys were sitting next to me and the tears were running down the cheek and they said: 'Dad are you okay?' and I said: 'Yes, I am.' That was such a special moment there. So those scenes, they're indelible they're in my mind and I'll never forget them."
- Embargoed: 17th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA90IJ0FNBYWG3AJQHHKDM4V2LS
- Story Text: Former Springboks captain Francois Pienaar said he was very moved by the movie that tells the story of his greatest achievement.
The film follows events surrounding the 1995 Rugby World Cup, as a newly elected South African President, Nelson Mandela, strives to bridge racial tensions between blacks and whites. With the nation set to host the Rugby World Cup, the new president sees an opportunity to bring the country together, deciding to use the national rugby team, the Springboks, to unite South Africans and enlisting the help of captain Francois Pienaar to do it.
Appearing alongside Hollywood stars Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon and director Clint Eastwood at the London premiere of the film Invictus on Sunday (January 31) Pienaar described the moment in the film when Matt Damon, the actor who plays him, visits Robben Island, where Mandela was imprisoned. "Well I got choked up in that scene and my little boys were sitting next to me and the tears were running down the cheek and they said: 'Dad are you okay?' and I said: 'Yes, I am.' That was such a special moment there. So those scenes, they're indelible they're in my mind and I'll never forget them."
Movie legend Clint Eastwood says he did detailed research on the sport before beginning shooting. "I'm a big fan , " he said " Before I started the movie I went and watched a lot of rugby games and talked to rugby coaches and various things like that and yeah, I like the game."
Pienaar, who played as a flanker, led South Africa to their first World Cup victory , defeating New Zealand 15-12 in the final. Joel Stransky sealed the victory with a drop goal in extra time. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None