Invictus | Squidge Rugby Film Club

In 1995, Nelson Mandela stood proud as South Africa won the Rugby World Cup to unite a nation and definitely end racism. In 2010, the movie adaptation became the only rugby film anybody has ever seen. So how does Invictus, and in particular the rugby within, hold up?
If you've enjoyed any of the channel's content, you can also support Squidge Rugby on Patreon by visiting / squidgerugby , so I can afford to rent this film from three places in order to get a few stills from odd scenes only to discover they all have the same technology preventing you screengrabbing.
A to-eventually-be comprehensive list of rugby narrative movies, including all the films to be covered in this series, is available here, with suggestions open and encouraged- letterboxd.com...

[@o0sparky0o95]

I think squidge should direct Invictus 2: The Siya-quel starring 4 bags of cement strapped to a horse as Pieter Steph du Toit

[@donnachaoriordan8878]

dick chappy the fact squidge didn’t pin that is depressing because it’s so correct

[@joshuajacobs2306]

Siya-quel Must be the next invictus title

[@mbulelobam7529]

@@donnachaoriordan8878 .....hasn't pinned this yet

[@theftparrot5750]

No PSTD has to be played by a rhino painted pink

[@worldchampions4379]

I’m a South African film freelancer working as an Assistant Director. I had the honor of working on this movie in 2009. My first encounter with Mat Damon was day one of ruby rehearsals. He arrived with his entourage at the parking lot where I was standing by to receive him he and introduce him to his fellow “Hollywood Boks” as the crew called them who where all proper rugby players and all of them where already on the field warming up and going through some drills, as we walked across the field to join them the closer we came the more of a perspective he got of how huge the players where, he looked at me nervously with a rye smile and said “ what the hell these guys are massive I thought they whet gonna cast everyone in proportion to my size”

[@vinniechan]

It was not obviously out of proportion when Morgan Freeman playing Mandela was taller than Matt Damon

[@stanleycolene]

Bwhahaaha

[@somanytakennames]

I do recall a moment in a huddle which baffled me when Matt Damon enthusiastically says; "WE MUST SCRUM!"

[@catherinelynnfraser2001]

I want to second Reese Witherspoon as Faf de Klerk.

[@hitchikerspie]

This is the fanfic I never knew I wanted

[@iammrtumble8220]

No it's gotta be stwift 😂😂

[@draloncouch]

Hahahahah! Crying laughing.

[@Cybonator]

I dunno, can she pull off the patriotic budge smugglers?

[@tobyhart8515]

Hayden Panettiere

[@MobKnowledge]

Only one Hollywood actor could play Rassie: Mark Ruffalo.

[@karlosdeevs]

Sam Rockwell deserves a shout, though

[@privatebaldric8767]

As the Hulk as Rassie

[@pumzagwabeni3053]

True dat

[@lynottlives]

Hopefully he can do as good an Afrikaner accent as Matt Damon did!

[@ryanford1573]

Took me a minute to get the Ben Young’s joke, good one

[@morganthedruid1]

I actually thought for a second that he was in it...then it hit me, someones going to pass into touch

[@DonovanBanks]

are you saying it almost went over your head...?

[@finatkinson3966]

Warwick Davis as cheslin Kolbe

[@callum5687]

Damn someone got this joke in before me. I went with peter dinklage 😂

[@douglasherron7534]

Kevin Hart might work too...

[@tiaancronje7633]

*dwarfmamba

[@joshuajacobs2306]

Bruh😂😂😂

[@tobyhart8515]

Harsh

[@daveberry1596]

Invictus is one of my favorite movies. Lots of reasons why. I was born in Carmel-By-The-Sea, where Clint Eastwood was Mayor. I grew up in Oakland, where Clint went to high school, and I started to play rugby. Pebble Beach, immediately adjacent to Carmel used to host one of the most prestigious rugby tournaments in the US -- the Monterey International Invitational Rugby Tournament. My college team UC Davis played in the tournament and there was always a Clint sighting, often at his Carmel pub, the Boar's Head. While in college, student protests against apartheid in South Africa were hitting their peak. Our team had a South African Assistant Coach, yet had to cancel a match against a touring side from South Africa due to pressure from the University. I have always had mixed feelings about that cancellation. The World Cup win by South Africa depicted in "Invictus" helped to heal some of those wounds. Rugby players are some of the best ambassadors out there. I have traveled the world and remain humbled by the generosity of fellow ruggers. That rugby played such an important role in bringing South Africa together through its past racist policies makes me proud and personally invindicated.

[@dickface9369]

You don’t understand the amount of money I’d pay to see Adriaan Strauss played by Ryan Gosling or Richie McCaw played by Charlize Theron

[@clairification7206]

If only Chris Farley were still around. He would have been perfect for Strauss, plus he actually played rugby.

[@cathymartens7478]

I love this movie because I lived it. It started on my sister's birthday, I was driving home from work when we got past Campese and scored. There were a group of us, we went from house to house. We had a piece of cheese on a stick with a green pickled onion, that sat on every telly as a mascot. We went from a tired, scared nation (will there even be a South Africa after the elections, are we headed for a bloodbath), to proud South Africans. It finished on our wedding anniversary, one massive celebration. This movie really did capture the feelings of a nation.

[@tallixicity]

Anyone else really want to see a Kolisi biopic now?

[@matthewphillips1047]

I really hope that you made that pun deliberately

[@TheMobleyMan]

Absolutely love the Ben Youngs cameo, got his likeness perfectly!

[@colincairns3670]

Siya as himself. done. I was at school with him. he is a natural

[@lgdude9050]

When he stood on stage with the silver tie and Scholtz telling the hall to keeo quiet

[@brettpacker2779]

do a video on the last time wales beat new zealand including cave paintings and other archeological discoveries

[@owenhanson-church5163]

Do a video on your 2021 lions squad

[@spday9909]

Yeah more stuff like that please squidge.

[@troygrindley3793]

Tarantino doing a movie about French rugby...this we need

[@christobecker]

Dude, you are an absolute hero. I have watched your match analysis of England New Zealand a hundred times and the final just as many. But how you bring the beauty of what happened here in South Africa into words is Beautiful. Thank you.

[@jono1582]

Am I the only one who would put idris alba as beast

[@joshuajacobs2306]

Only problem is he is too tall I think

[@lynottlives]

Too old

[@benl4862]

Michael B Jordan-Lukhanyo Am. Chris Hemsworth-Duane Vermeulen

[@josecg6990]

Rather than Chris i'd go for Ryan Hurst

[@privatebaldric8767]

👏👏

[@ThePereubu1710]

My favourite Invictus story is when Damon first met Pienaar. Apparently he knocked on Pienaar's front door, the door opened and Pienaar looked down with a quizzical expression and Damon said "I look much bigger on screen!".

[@amosstarkey485]

Plot twist : This whole video was just squidge flexing his greens screen.

[@LinebreakRugby]

Uploading before midnight? Someone's hunting the mainstream market...

[@nuntycoetzee4214]

That kid from 2 and a half men can play lood de jager and chris hemsworth as duane vermeulen

[@Stain-u9t]

I don't agree with you on some of your vids, but you are the most objective analysis and I appreciate how much in-depth knowledge you know about each country.

[@newmanj8690]

"a cameo from England's own Ben Youngs"...aaand I lost it😂

[@dwanejackson4503]

14:30 or so. Got goosebumps mentioning Kolisi, well done.

[@fraserharrison9041]

This is legitimately one of my favourite videos ever

[@ThatGirlWithTheCoffee]

At one point in the SA NZ match in Invictus, I heard the ref say “crouch, Engage” and it took me straight out of the moment

[@benturner2727]

Ken Watanabe as Eddie Jones in the remake and perhaps Hulk Hogan as Peter-steph du Toit

[@notmyrealname7738]

Cpl Jones from Dads Army as Ben Youngs

[@mr.m2659]

Can watanabe pull off the most ruthless Australian accent known to man though?

[@joshwhittingham5790]

Anybody else who actually wouldn't mind if squidge started a second channel devoted entirely to movie reviews?

[@MikeH89]

Loved the Ben Young's joke. And the vahamaahina one 😂😂😂

[@btatalent]

Wait, this isn't "Crank" starring Jason Statham!

[@blakecarolissen9890]

I've watched all your videos, your content is funny as hell and I love how u analyse rugby

[@justinoswald8825]

Anthony Starr from "Banshee" as Willie Le Roux. Anthony Anderson as Trevor Nyakane. A sentient meat pie as Frans Malherbe.

[@shaunk6822]

A sentient meat pie, that's brilliant!!

[@ss2gora0]

Oh! He's from the Boys too!

[@barrycarter7274]

As a South African i fucking love this movie! I remember watching this in the cinema and just being super proud to be a South African in that moment

[@revenant2979]

Thanks Squidge, clicked immediately. With Superugby and the Six Nations in quarantine and Liverpool fans going out of their minds, we really needed this. All the best from a South- Africa in quarantine.

[@dylanpenn0620]

Perfect time to upload

[@TheVolginator]

Hey Squidge? I didn't expect to say this but, I'd quite happily watch review any kind of movie. Good stuff my dude

[@interfear1]

Yes! I was also thinking of Chadwick Boseman if anyone had to play Siya Kolisi lol

[@oscarinfante1714]

dude, I'm new on this of rugby, I'm from Mexico, and you really make me fell your emotion, thanks for that. I have to watch Invictus

[@barrycarter7274]

Invictus 2 casting: Agree with Chadwick Boseman for Siya Kolisi Rassie: Christian Bale maybe? if he can pull off the accent Get Matt Damon back for that moment where Francois is cheering on Cheslin! Scott Eastwood for Handre Pollard There must be loads of wrestlers you could get in for cameos Luke Wilson for Schalk Burger (the nicest man in rugby needs to have a cameo in this somehow)

[@MobKnowledge]

Wrestlers? One of the Usos could play Manu Tuilagi.

[@archiesmith9008]

The ben youngs joke had me actually laughing out loud

[@cathalmacgearailt626]

You make the best rugby content on KZbin and your analysis is class

[@donnachaoriordan8878]

Squidge I like handsome devil a lot so good to have u watching it soon

[@Richiegw1]

9:19 the funniest part of this video (with 2019 in mind). Clearly Thor is Duane Vermeulen for Invictus Part 2. Jamie Foxx for Am and Will Smith for Mapimpi. Statham for PSDT and Elba for Kolisi. Make it happen!

[@joshuajacobs2306]

Statham is about 6 feet too short to play PSDT

[@jamiebrown1235]

Ed Sheeran as Steven Kitshoff aka Spicy Plum

[@dintlentsoko3689]

-Fortune feimster as Steven Kitshoff -Dmx/Tyrese Gibson as Makazole Mapimpi - John Travolta as Damien de Allende - Mike Tyson as Bongi Mbonambi - Bud Spencer(RIP) as Frans Malherbe And Arnold Schwarzenegger as coach Rassie.

[@TheThinkingMathematician]

reece witherspoon as FAF de KlerK - Brillaint

[@ciaranoconnor8650]

The editing in this was top notch man! I loved it! Keep it up

[@flamadiddledoo]

Mate, where can we all vote to get you on the telly? You’re passion is infectious and far better than the empty presenters we all are forced to watch

[@gabnorm2127]

That Ben Youngs cameo really captured his style of play

[@hugoarielmorenosantillan9767]

Congratulations Squidge! Very wonderful episode!

[@therealmrfishpaste]

...and a cameo from my uncle as the Chairman of the IRB...

[@evanthomas3778]

Have headphones on and ABSOLUTELY SHAT MYSELF at that first explosion

[@sqobamhlungujackson4786]

Squidge, you just chose Reese Witherspoon as Faf for the topless speedo scene with Prince Harry after the game. I can second that.

[@jacklowe8287]

Been waiting for this !

[@jamespickin8811]

Honestly one of my favourite movies😅 in my top 10 favourites

[@nathancroucher90]

Lindsay Andersons 1963 feature This Sporting Life is still both the finest kitchen sink drama ever in addition to being the greatest rugby league themed feature film.

[@Jo-id9zm]

I was an extra on this movie, it was quite special. Especially the rugby scenes.

[@prawn2668]

going to a rugby school we watched invictus at least twice a year every year. Fucking love it

[@CriesofFury]

Scott Eastwood’s kicking looks to be a gridiron punt by the way he drop the ball onto his foot

[@TheFearlessDave]

Thor as Duane Vermeulen, Mr Bean as the ref, A 20km wide asteroid as Pieter Stef du Toit, The Road Runner (meep meep) as Kolbe, Antibiotics as Willie le Roux (can't catch anything) and David Beckham's right foot wearing a wig as Faf. For England: a lot of mormans dressed in padded clothing.

[@cormanolivier]

Brilliant take on Invictus thanks Squidge 👍👍

[@RawRugby]

I was kind of hoping this would be you sat down with a cup of tea with a more raw reaction. Still very good but that was what I was hoping for!

[@reancolouw541]

Jason Momoa as RG Snyman Chris Evans as Handré Pollard Jeremy Renner as Owen Farrel Henry Cavill as Eben Etzebeth Temuera Morrison as Eddie Jones Michael B Jordan as Makazole Mapimpi

[@FMpimper]

The Hugh Bladen sample genuinely made me choke on my own lunch from laughing. Thanks Squidge!

[@pierredegastines5070]

Love this new format !!

[@louisthornton541]

Ryan gosling as Handre Pollard

[@TappCorporation]

Siya Kolisi needs a movie of his own tbf

[@HarryBarr]

The moment of realisation when you remembered you had the green screen was just perfect

[@Amnesia2Morrow]

A young Liam Neeson would've made a perfect Francois Pienaar with his height & physique. Imagine his sledge to a rookie opposition flanker: "I do have a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you."

[@jasoncugs]

Love the new direction for squidge! Well done Squidgy! Is that a thing? Squidy?

[@mireilledavidson9427]

I love your energy and passion. I think Invictus 2 is a truly inspired idea however, it is fair to note I am South African and bias maybe influencing my opinion. Indeed, if I consider it from a broader, more objective and level headed perspective, genius, absolute genius.

[@vdb4916]

So good. I loved this video Squidge. Thank you. I loved it.

[@privatebaldric8767]

Carrot Top as Steven Kitshoff, Mr Incredible as Vincent Koch, Ana de Armas as Cheslin Kolbe and Terry Crews as Jumbo Mapimpi😄

[@lambegdrums9480]

This video was brilliant 10 out of 10 keep up the good work

[@fredfishface]

Actually I was playing Naka Drotske not Os Du Randt, but I couldn't agree with you more.

[@lungabiyela9081]

There's a scene where the Boks are running through Observatory and you can see a Hyundai Getz in the background. A Hyundai Getz in 1995.

[@citizenmilitia1]

I agree it's wonderful. I agree the rugby in it is poor and could have benefited from having its rugby scenes directed by a rugby coach... but I also agree with you, that I don't think that detracts from it. I don't see it as a film about rugby - I see it as a film primarily about apartheid - and then it's told through the eyes of rugby.

[@SacClass650]

Give 'This Sporting Life' (1963) a watch...

[@ezrolly898]

Vince Vaughn as Rassie

[@tomkrys3331]

I actually noticed that he put a switch in literally every phase

[@Metylerca]

Michael Rapaport as Kieran Reid

[@crystalbeastscriptageddon7283]

Chris hemsworth as handre pollard, Liam hemsworth as Owen Farrell, scarlet Johanson as Manu tuilagi and Danny devito as psdt

[@gerbear5346]

@squidgerugby actually the film "The Departed" directed by Martin Scorsese features Rugby, it's a brief scene where Matt Damon is driving a maul with the police team. It's actually a great film with the IRISH theme front and center as opposed to the usual guiney_italian theme. Irish American community in Boston...gangsters led by Jack Nicholson face off with police department FBI undercover agents ....don't want to spoiler but it's a great story, acting and soundtrack and also stars Leonardo di caprio, mark walberg, Martin sheen , Alec Baldwin, the legend himself Mr Ray Winston the gorgeous Vera Farmiga and many more! Highly recommended! Great review, I actually really like Invictus despite being molested by Hollywood 😁

[@butwigbrown5794]

Well put together Squish, keep it real

[@maxmason5042]

loved the Vahaamahina meme at the end

[@maxchambers6693]

I like your casting choices. I'd include Tom Holland as Cheslin Kolbe and Chris Evans as Pieter Stef du Toit

[@samrowe8752]

Talking about Eastwood directing Invictus makes me think of those lazy writers making a cricket film in Mitchell & Webb look. "The most important thing when writing a sports movie is to not get too bogged down in the 'so called' rules of the sport". "I only used to coach the Manchester United team, the year they won the European cricket cup" "They've won the ashes every year since beating the Dallas Cowboys in 1978" I swear if you haven't seen the clip, search it right after this. A perfect representation of every sports movie you've ever seen, that had some semblance of a budget.

[@vonhaig]

My big takeaway from this; I've been pronouncing 'mubi' wrong.

[@saoirsedeltufo7436]

Same, that really threw me

[@hargrimza1310]

Beast Mtawarira - Idris Elba Lood de Jager - Angus T Jones Pieter Steph du Toit - John Cena Duane Vermeulen - Chris Hemsworth Handre Pollard - Taron Egerton Damian de Allende - Ed Skrein Rassie Erasmus - Benedict Cumberbatch Written, directed by and starring (as Jerome Garces) - Taika Waititi

[@dougraymeikle4051]

Great video!

[@winningtakescareofeverythi8438]

That Ben Young's gag literally made me lol

[@saltyspaceman5697]

I'm still waiting for the Directors Cut which has the scene (cut from the cinematic release) which features Whoopi Goldberg as Suzie the Waitress

[@dashiiit]

Who picked up on that vahamaina joke at the end? Hahah I love you with all my heart squidge

[@saltyspaceman5697]

Invictus 2 cast Idris Elba could reprise his rugby roles and could play Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira Russel Crowe- Duane Vermulen Hugh Jackman- Eben Etzbeth Sloth from Goonies- Franco Mostert Rolo from Vikings- RG Snyman The ginger guy from harry potter- Steven Kitshoff

[@AdamM7796]

Squidge, I watch all your videos, I think that it'd be great if you analysed old rugby matches or great teams of the past such as Leicester of the early 2000s, Munster of the late 2000s, Leinster 2009/11/12, Toulon 13/14/15 and Saracens post 2012, Toulouse from some point in their history

[@phrankster909]

I would cast a big wrecking ball for Mtawira, a Shetland pony to play Faf, Dolph Lundgren's son as Owen Farrell, Joe Marler as himself, and Michael B Jordan is Siya.

[@thomas_corbet]

Very disappointed my mate Conrad Marais, Namibian international, didn't get a mention for his flawless impersonation of Jeff Wilson!

[@benaldworth783]

I feel like what squidge is trying to say at 5:20 is basically Clint Eastwood has become the Ben Volavola of directing films, sublime and moments of sheer shit all rolled into one!