Hannes Strydom, the former Springbok lock and 1995 Rugby World Cup winner has died. Reports are circulating today that the 58-year-old passed away following a car accident in South Africa’s North-Eastern province of Mpumalanga.
According to reports, the car accident happened on the M4 road just before the town of Emalahleni. Strydom is the fifth member of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks squad to have passed away. The other four players being flanker Ruben Kruger, scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen, and wingers James Small and Chester Williams.
Strydom represented South Africa for four years, with his tenure lasting from 1993 to 1997. Strydom made his Springboks debut in a Summer clash with France, and went on to accrue 21 caps in the iconic gold and green. Strydom scored one try in his test match career, which came against South Africa’s old enemy of New Zealand, in a 1996 meeting at Loftus Field, Pretoria.
Strydom also did battle with the British & Irish Lions, when the world famous combined side travelled to South Africa for their 1997 Tour. The Springboks lost that series 2-1, with their consolation victory nullifying a clean sweep through a 35-16 win in Johannesburg. In club rugby, Strydom represented Eastern Province, Northern Transvaal and the Golden Lions, and enjoyed one season with the Johannesburg Cats in Super Rugby.