James Endersby - Profile

James Endersby is the media manager, head columnist and foreign correspondent for the largest rugby union internet website in South Africa, SARugby.com. His passion for cricket and rugby has taken him around the world watching, writing and playing both sports.

I have been writing about rugby for the past four years. Perhaps my most memorable moment in the code was South Africa's epic World Cup victory back in 1995. It was certainly clear on that day, as Nelson Mandela donned his green and gold Springbok jersey, that sport has the potential to unify a nation. That was when the seeds were sown and ever since then I have been a sucker for the goose-bumps generated when 70 thousand supporters cram into a stadium to cheer on their team and their country.

Australia have dominated the cricketing world over the past ten or so years. However with the English firmly on the war path, and the teams from the sub-continent, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan continually threatening, along with the entertaining South African's and West Indian's, cricket is truly a global sport. In 1996 the Sri Lankan's lifted the silverware and stunned the cricketing world. Their revolutionary approach to the game opened up new scoring records as they attacked from the very first ball. Here was a small country, filled with internal strife and instability, fairly new to the game, yet deserved world champions.

Sport does have the potential to lift a nation. 'Sport-without-borders' is a common goal of both Rugby and Cricket and hopefully one day we will live in a world where political and religious turmoil are a distant memory and win or lose - playing the game is what really matters.