Sport and Cinema.com

Rugby has had a rough life on the silver screen, but this weekend a major film from Warner Bros. directed by Clint Eastwood opens hoping to score at the box office where not many have.

“Invictus” tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) joined forces with the white captain of South Africa’s rugby team, Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), to help unite their country during an improbable run at the 1995 World Cup.

The story begins with Nelson Mandela

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie striding in alongside Michael Phelps as part of the American team in the parade of athletes entering the main stadium for the Opening Ceremonies?

Sean Faris (“Reunion”, “Life as We Know It”) stars as Rick Penning, a talented-but-troubled rugby player who must play against the team his stern father (Neal McDonough) coaches at the national championship.
Based on actual events connected to the dominant Highland Rugby program, Rick’s road to turning his life around begins at the juvenile detention center he has been sent to. It is there that a counselor (Sean Astin – “Rudy”) gets the confused teen heading in a new direction. When well-respected coach Larry Gelwix (Gary Cole) recruits Rick for his storied rugby squad, training for sports success takes on a deeper meaning.

The last time Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman worked together on picture with a sports backdrop, both won Academy Awards.