Former South African rugby star, Hannes Strydom has died in an accident at the age of 58, the South African Rugby Union confirmed on Monday, making him the fifth player from their victorious 1995 World Cup team to pass away.
Strydom, who was a pharmacist by training, played 21 Tests for the Springboks between 1993 and 1997, and started the 1995 final where the home side defeated New Zealand 15-12 to take the crown at Ellis Park, a game which had former President Nelson Mandela in attendance.
Former teammate and close friend, Kobus Wiese told local media that though details of the accident were still sketchy, the vehicle Strydom was travelling in collided with a minibus taxi.
“The accident took place on Sunday near the coal mining town of eMalahleni in Mpumalanga province,” Wiese said.
In a tribute on the website of the South African Rugby Union, President Mark Alexander described Strydom as “one of the heroes of our local game”.
His former club, the Lions, also paid tribute to him, describing him as a legend who had formed a formidable lock combination with Wiese.
“We share a tight bond as members of the 1995 group and to lose yet another one of our brothers is a big blow,” Lions Rugby Company chief executive officer, Rudolf Straeuli said.
Strydom made his debut for the Springboks in 1993, and helped defeat arch-rivals New Zealand 15-12 in the 1995 World Cup final in Johannesburg— the biggest sporting event in South Africa after the end of apartheid— before ending his career after playing in the British and Irish Lions series.
Outside rugby, Strydom worked as a pharmacist in the capital, Pretoria, and started pharmacy chain, Pharma Valu after hanging up his boots.