Former Springbok lock Hannes Strydom has died in a car accident - the fifth player from their victorious 1995 World Cup team to pass away.
Strydom, 58, was a pharmacist by trade and played 21 tests between 1993-97. He started the infamous 1995 final, where the home side defeated the All Blacks 15-12 to take the crown in front of a beaming Nelson Mandela at Johannesburg's Ellis Park.
"He was a hard-working lock, who never shied away from getting stuck in and doing the dirty work," said South Africa Rugby president Mark Alexander.
"To lose yet another member of the iconic 'Bok squad from 1995 is a heavy blow to the rugby fraternity here in South Africa."
Kitch Christie, who coached the team to their title win, passed away from cancer in 1998, as did flanker Ruben Kruger in 2010.
Scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen succumbed to motor neurone disease in 2017, and wings Chester Williams and James Small suffered fatal heart-attacks within two months of each other in 2019.
New Zealand entered the 1995 World Cup final as favourites, but suffered an alleged case of food poisoning that left players ill on the eve of the game.
After reaching fulltime locked at 9-9, the teams were still level at 12-12 late in extra time and the contest was eventually decided by a late drop goal from South African first-five Joel Stransky.
Reuters
