SA Rugby pay tribute to Hannes Strydom: ‘One of the great locks’

SA Rugby have called the late Hannes Strydom “one of the great locks of his generation” following the passing of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winner in a motor vehicle accident on Sunday. Strydom was 58.

The second row forward locked the Bok scrum between 1993 and 1997, winning the World Cup alongside lock partner Kobus Wiese. He played 21 Tests and also featured for the Eastern Province, Northern Transvaal and Transvaal in provincial rugby.

He won the first Super 10 trophy, the Currie Cup and the Vodacom Cup and played in the 1997 series against the British and Irish Lions.

Fifth Bok from ’95 to pass away

Strydom is the fifth member of the 1995 Springboks team to pass away, following the deaths of Ruben Kruger, Joost van der Westhuizen, James Small and Chester Williams. The coach of the 1995 Bok team, Kitch Christie, also passed on shortly after the World Cup in South Africa.

“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 SA Rugby.

“He also played more than 100 games for the Lions at a time when they dominated the game in South Africa 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.

“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.”