As a wave of Springbok joy continues to sweep the nation, with thousands of fans joining in the victory parades of the only national rugby team to have clinched a fourth William Webb Ellis trophy, MSC’s managing director for South Africa has added his voice to the celebrations.
Putting pen to paper to express his pride in the Boks, and remembering the legacy of Nelson Mandela, Rosario Sarno said: “Every trophy has its own story, but for me, this victory, even more than our victory of 1995, represents the story of a dream of one of the greatest men in history.
“I am sure that no other team in history has made a journey as incredible as the one of our team in France.
“Three incredible games, or should I say ‘finals’, won by a single point. This is something which will probably never happen again.
“Against the flashy favourites, France, our team managed to reply blow after blow with brilliance, power, and most importantly, resilience.
“Against England, our team was put to the ropes by master tacticians of the game. But again, without losing faith, one metre at a time, always with resilience, they managed to get back on their feet and deliver a last-minute blow which opened the door to the greatest final of them all.”
Getting to last weekend’s nail-biting decider, Sarno said: “What can we say of the final? Two incredible teams on the same field, both wanting to be the greatest of all time, both showing great resilience.”
He added that there were no better words used than those of Captain Kolisi immediately after the final whistle: “I want to tell the people of South Africa thank you so much.
“This team just shows what you can do.
“As soon as we work together all is possible, no matter in what sphere – in the field, in offices, it shows what we can do.
“I am grateful for this team; I am so proud of it."
Sarno said he was thrilled and humbled to see Cyril Ramaphosa add presidential esteem to the Boks’ glorious triumph, “lifting the trophy so that all could see what our nation can stand for: Togetherness!”
Turning slightly more serious, Sarno said the victory served to remind the people of South Africa what could be accomplished given the current challenges faced by the country.
“It’s not a secret that so far, the dream of our beloved Madiba has failed.
“I would like to believe that when he lifted that trophy in 1995, the first president of our democracy knew that our journey would have its ups and downs.
“I would like to believe that he had blessed the Webb Ellis Cup.
“I would like to believe that as long as we have in South Africa people who truly believe in his dream, people who are willing to work together for a greater good, then the Boks will always fight to bring the Cup home, as a reminder, a reminder that Madiba’s dream is still alive.
“The journey of our team has shown that a country does not need to be perfect or unbeatable. We did lose to a great Irish team. We need to be resilient, we must never give up, take our problems one step at a time, and more importantly – we need to work together, together as a great team working for a greater good, towards greater dreams – being stronger together!”
In conclusion, Sarno said he was humbled to head up MSC in South Africa.
“MSC South Africa, steered by my father, has been working for decades, immersed in the same dream of Madiba.
“The MSC team has never backed away from any difficulty. Under flooding, civil unrest and pandemic we stood together, always on the frontlines and in the office, understanding that the work we are doing is important for our customers and most important for the economy of our country.
“MSC is the only shipping agency in South Africa that has invested in its people. We have always refused, unlike our competitors, to move work abroad.
“We are the only shipping agency in this country who is directly involved in creating new jobs and are directly involved in helping various communities in our country. We are here for the greater good.
“Let us enjoy this moment together, let this victory be a reminder to the whole nation of the dream of one of the greatest men in history, a dream which joins us all.”
Now to get behind the Proteas!
PHOTOS: MSC staff came out in full support for the Springboks.
