After 27 years in Robben Island prison, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) is released in 1990 and works immediately to bring about the end of apartheid and the initiation of full democratic elections; in such an election, the black majority population can vote. Mandela wins the race for President of South Africa and takes office in 1994. His immediate challenge is "balancing black aspirations with white fears." Racial tensions from the apartheid era have not completely disappeared.While Mandela attempts to tackle the country's largest problems-crime and unemployment, among many others-he attends a game of the Springboks, the country's rugby union team. Mandela recognizes that the blacks in the stadium cheer against their home squad, as the Springboks (their history, players, and even their colors) represent prejudice and apartheid in the crowd's minds.South Africa is set to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup in one year's time and Mandela hears of a meeting of the newly-black-dominated South African Sports Committee to change the Springboks' name and colors.

After 27 years in Robben Island prison, Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) is released in 1990 and works immediately to bring about the end of apartheid and the initiation of full democratic elections; in such an election, the black majority population can vote. Mandela wins the race for President of South Africa and takes office in 1994. His immediate challenge is "balancing black aspirations with white fears." Racial tensions from the apartheid era have not completely disappeared.While Mandela attempts to tackle the country's largest problems-crime and unemployment, among many others-he attends a game of the Springboks, the country's rugby union team. Mandela recognizes that the blacks in the stadium cheer against their home squad, as the Springboks (their history, players, and even their colors) represent prejudice and apartheid in the crowd's minds.South Africa is set to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup in one year's time and Mandela hears of a meeting of the newly-black-dominated South African Sports Committee to change the Springboks' name and colors.