World Cup-winning South African rugby participant Hannes Strydom has died in a automobile crash aged 58.
Strydom was a part of the Springboks workforce that lifted the World Cup after defeating New Zealand within the last in 1995.
The victory, which got here a yr after the top of apartheid in South Africa, was immortalised within the 2009 Hollywood film Invictus.
Strydrom, who performed as a second-row, has been described as “one of the great locks of his generation” after he was killed within the crash on Sunday night.
He is the fifth member of the Springboks workforce which started that 15-12 victory over the All Blacks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg to have died.
Ruben Kruger died aged 39 in 2010 of mind most cancers; Joost van der Westhuizen died aged 45 in 2017 of motor neurone illness; James Small died aged 50 in 2019 of a coronary heart assault; Chester Williams died the identical yr aged 49 of a coronary heart assault. Williams was the one black participant on the profitable squad in 1995.
Strydom received 21 Test caps between 1993 and 1997.
His worldwide profession included going through the British and Irish Lions in 1997, a collection which resulted in a 2-1 defeat for the Springboks.
South African Rugby Union president Mark Alexander stated in an announcement: “Hannes was one of many nice locks of his technology and as a member of the Springbok squad from 1995, one of many heroes of our native sport.
“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.”
The Golden Lions, the rugby union membership Strydom performed for in South Africa, has additionally paid tribute to him.
Lions chief government Rudolf Straeuli, one other member of South Africa’s 1995 World Cup squad, stated: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Hannes.
“We share a good bond as members of the 1995 group and to lose yet one more one in every of our brothers is an enormous blow.”
Source: information.sky.com”