South African 1995 World Cup winner Hannes Strydom has died in a car accident at the age of 58.
The former lock started in the semi-final and final of the Springboks' first triumph in the tournament, ending his international career two years later by playing all three tests against the British and Irish Lions in 1997.
According to former teammate Kobus Wiese, the vehicle Strydom was travelling in collided with a taxi on Sunday evening; he is the fifth player to pass away since South Africa's iconic first World Cup title was secured.
“Hannes was one of the great locks of his generation and as a member of the Springbok squad from 1995, one of the heroes of our local game,” said Mark Alexander, president of the South Africa Rugby Union.
“He was a hard-working lock who never shied away from getting stuck in and doing the dirty work. To lose yet another member of the iconic Bok squad from 1995 is a heavy blow to the rugby fraternity here in South Africa and our thoughts and condolences are with his wife, Nikolie, their children, Annalie, Hannes and Lucy, family and friends in this very difficult time.”
Strydom was also an iconic figure for Golden Lions, formerly Transvaal, partnering Wiese in the second row and winning the 1993, 1994 and 1999 Currie Cups as well as the Super 10 title in the first of those three years – the precursor for what eventually became Super Rugby.
“He also played more than 100 games for the Lions at a time when they dominated the game in South Africa,” Alexander added. “And won the Super 10 before it became Super Rugby, which underlined the quality of that team.
“Hannes, along with other players from that Lions team, such as Francois Pienaar, Balie Swart, Kobus Wiese, and Hennie le Roux, formed the core of the famous Bok squad that lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in South Africa in 1995.”
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