The ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in four months’ time – describedby its executive director Dr Ali Bacher as “the biggest empowerment projectthat South African sport as ever embarked upon” – will be backed by thelargest galaxy of
Rodney Hartman14-Oct-2002The ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa in four months’ time – describedby its executive director Dr Ali Bacher as “the biggest empowerment projectthat South African sport as ever embarked upon” – will be backed by thelargest galaxy of all-sports heroes yet assembled for any event on theAfrican continent.At a glittering 1500-seater banquet at the Sandton Convention Centre inJohannesburg on Saturday night, the identities of the 41 African SportAmbassadors to the 44-day tournament were revealed.They include legendary Kenyan Olympic middle-distance runner Kip Keino, atrio of Major golf champions in Gary Player, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen,the captain of the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning Springboks, FrancoisPienaar, cricketers Graeme Pollock and Basil D’Oliveira, SA soccer heroesLucas Radebe and Doctor Khumalo, former Formula One world drivers championJody Scheckter, Olympic marathon gold medallist Josiah Thugwane,multi-titled swim queen Penny Heyns, and South Africa’s ‘Mr Paralympics’Fanie Lombaard.The Ambassadors, who will perform a variety of functions around the ICCCricket World Cup in South Africa between 8 February-23 March 2003, wereawarded special black and white braided colours blazers by the InternationalCricket Council’s chief executive officer Malcolm Speed.Dr Bacher thanked the Ambassadors for bringing “their own special brand ofdignity and integrity” to the world’s most important cricket tournament.”I don’t believe I am exaggerating when I say that … this represents thebiggest gathering of sporting superstars that this country has everwitnessed at any one time.”During the tournament “a veritable army of proud South Africans, including3000 volunteers, black and white, young and old, would be playing a varietyof different to ensure that the dream becomes a reality.”In acclaiming the Ambassadors, Dr Bacher added, “on behalf of South Africancricket, to each of you I say, thank you for playing your role in helping usto achieve what I firmly believe is the biggest empowerment project thatSouth African sport has ever embarked upon.”The Minister of Sport, Mr Ngconde Balfour, was unable to attend Saturdaynight’s banquet, but an impressive array of provincial and local governmentrepresentatives, top United Cricket Board of SA officials Percy Sonn andGerald Majola, Zimbabwe Cricket Union president Peter Chingoka, leadingadministrators from the all the sports federations, and the cream of SouthAfrica’s business community were present.Among the Ambassadors honoured were Namibian sprint king Frank Fredericks,Zimbabwean soccer ace Peter Ndlovu, the much-acclaimed deaf swimmer TerenceParkin, javelin gold medallist Marius Corbett, and the Kenyan rated thegreatest cross-country of all time, Paul Tergat.It was a veritable roll-call of honour as the Ambassadors were cheered up tothe podium … high jump queen Hestrie Cloete, SA women’s soccer captainDesiree Ellis, football greats Joe Kadenge of Kenya and Marks Maponyane ofSouth Africa, the Paralympics stars Jane Mandean and Zanele Situ, formerworld 1500m record holder Sydney Maree, fellow middle-distance star HezekielSepeng, and marathon and ultra-distance greats Tegla Loroupe of Kenya andSouth Africa’s Bruce Fordyce and Frith van der Merwe.Stars of the boxing ring were well represented by world champions in thehugely popular Baby Jake Matlala, Brian Mitchell, Dingaan Thobela, WelcomeNcita and Vuyani Bungu, and rugby union standouts were Chester Williams,Naas Botha and Morne du Plessis.Ambassadors from the world of tennis are the celebrated South African duo ofAmanda Coetzer and Wayne Ferreira, and former Doubles world champion ByronBlack of Zimbabwe.All 41 African Sport Ambassadors will be paraded at the two-hour openingceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town on February 8at which South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki will officially open the54-match tournament.THE 41 AFRICAN SPORT AMBASSADORS TO THE ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP ARE:Byron BlackFrom a prominent sporting family, Byron Black has ensured that Zimbabwe isnot a forgotten country in the tennis world. Although he has two singlestitles to his credit, it is as a doubles specialist that he is best known,reaching the top spot in the doubles rankings in 1994, the same year that heand Jonathan Stark captured the French Open title. He was also a runner upat Wimbledon in 1996 and in the Australian Open in 1994 and 2001. Togetherwith his brother Wayne, he has been a stalwart of the Zimbabwean Davis Cupteam.Naas BothaThe all-time Golden Boy of South African and Northern Transvaal rugby, NaasBotha was the type of player around whom coaches and players built theirstrategies. The British Lions dubbed him “Nasty Booter” in grudgingadmiration for his effectiveness as a points machine, but there was more tohis game than simply kicking. Blessed with wonderful handling skills, hisvision made him probably the most influential player of his time. He stillholds the Springbok record of 242 points in Test matches.Vuyani BunguAlong with Welcome Ncita, Vuyani “The Beast” Bungu is a product of MziMnguni’s Mdantsane stable, having started to box at the age of 12. LikeNcita, Bungu went on to win the IBF junior featherweight championship. Bungufirst claimed the title in 1994 when he beat former Seoul Olympic goldmedallist Kennedy McKinney, the man who took Ncita’s title, and went on tobecome the first South African boxer to successfully defend it on 13occasions. A tough, courageous fighter who crowded into his opponents,wearing them down into submission, he lost only three bouts in anillustrious 40-fight career.Hestrie CloeteIf long legs are a prerequisite for high jumping, then Hestrie Cloete startswith a considerable advantage. Since 1999 Cloete has been among theforefront of women’s high jumpers, setting a South African, African andCommonwealth record of 2,04m in Monaco, claiming the silver medal at theSydney Olympics, taking gold at the World Championships in Edmonton 2001 andadding another gold to her collection at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Easygoing and affable, the farm girl from the North West Province has been theSouth African Track and Field Athlete of the Year from 1998 to 2001.Amanda CoetzerDuring a time when women’s tennis has gradually been dominated by the powergame, Amanda Coetzer has typified the virtues of speed, stamina and anunflagging determination to chase down every ball hit to her side of thecourt. She was ranked in the top 10 for 10 years, reaching No 3 in the worldin 1997 and has reached the semifinals of both the French and AustralianOpens. Although relatively short in a field in which the leading competitorsappear to be growing taller by the year, Coetzer has consistently held herown as a doughty opponent and one of the most popular members of the women’scircuit.Marius CorbettAs a lock forward for the North West Leopards, Marius Corbett may have tostand in a long line before realising an ambition to win a Springbok place,but for a few brief years as a javelin thrower Corbett had the world at hisfeet. Although he had been a junior record holder, Corbett was relativelyunknown when he beat Britain’s Steve Buckley into second place to take goldat the 1997 World Championships in Athens with a throw of 88,40m. Hebettered that distance in taking gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games inKuala Lumpur and then captured another gold at the All Africa Games thefollowing year.Basil D’OliveiraBasil D’Oliveira occupies a special place in the histories of South Africanand English cricket. After growing up in Cape Town, he travelled to Englandto pursue a career denied him by apartheid in the country of his birth. ForWorcestershire and for England he batted with flair and courage and alsobecame a first-class bowler. He was selected for the 1968/69 England tour ofSouth Africa, a tour subsequently cancelled when the South Africangovernment objected to his inclusion. It was a time of great bitterness, butthe flame, which was eventually to free all South African sportsmen andwomen, had been lit.Mornè du PlessisA big man in every sense of the word, Morne du Plessis embodies the bestqualities of South African sport. A tough and uncompromising number eight(just ask Naas Botha!) and a legend at Newlands, he proved to be aninspirational Springbok captain, leading South Africa to a famous seriesvictory over the 1980 British Lions. His contribution did not end when heretired as a player. As manager of the 1995 Rugby World Cup squad he playedan enormous role in cultivating the pride, passion and team-spirit that tookSouth Africa to the William Webb Ellis trophy.Desiree EllisCaptain of Banyana Banyana, the South African women’s soccer team, since1994, Desiree Ellis once had to choose between her job and her sport.Fortunately the diminutive midfielder from Cape Town now has moresympathetic employers and the sacrifice turned out to be worthwhile. She ledBanyana Banyana to the African Cup of Nations final in 2000 and to theirfirst trophy in 2002 when they beat Zambia 2-1 in the final of the CosafaCup. She received a Silver Presidential Sports Award in 2000 for herservices to football.Ernie ElsHe’s known as “The Big Easy”, but Ernie Els made it seem anything but as hekept South Africans glued to their seats on a dramatic Sunday evening in2002 before lifting the biggest prize in golf. Ernie’s triumph in thatBritish Open added to his 1994 and 1997 US Open triumphs and re-establishedhim as one of the modern game’s great players. He had a quiet 2001, despitehelping Retief Goosen capture the World Cup for South Africa, but with thefamous Claret Jug now safely in his trophy cabinet, Ernie has warned TigerWoods that he would be unwise to rest on his laurels.Wayne FerreiraProdigiously talented, Wayne Ferreira is on of that rare breed of tennisprofessionals capable of beating any opponent on any surface. Although GrandSlam titles have remained frustratingly elusive, he has won 14 careersingles titles, 10 doubles titles and an Olympic silver medal in thedoubles. As a junior he was the top-ranked doubles player in the world in1989 and he spent eight consecutive seasons ranked in the ATP tour top 50.Despite his tour commitments, Ferreira has invariably found time torepresent South Africa in the Davis Cup where, playing for his country, heproduced some of his most memorable performances.Bruce FordyceAfter his third victory in the Comrades Marathon, the headline writers wereon a roll: “Four-dyce”, “Five-dyce”, “Six-dyce”, “Seven-dyce”, “Eight-dyce”and finally “Nine-dyce”. Slight of build and flaxen-haired, Bruce Fordycecarried both the Comrades and ultra-distance running in South Africa intothe modern era. It is to understate the case to claim that Fordyce’s ninevictories transformed the grueling race into the highly professional eventit is today, but he has also ensured that the best traditions of theComrades were not lost. And just to prove that he was more than a one-trackpony, he won the London-to-Brighton Marathon three time in the 1980s.Frank FredericksWhile Africa has long been seen as a rich source of middle and long-distancerunners, it took Frankie Fredericks to demonstrate that the continent couldalso sprint. He claimed silver medals in both the 100m and 200m at theBarcelona Olympics and then took the gold over 200m at the 1993 WorldChampionships in Stuttgart. Since then he has been Africa’s outstandingsprinter, not to mention Namibia’s most famous sporting son. He repeated hissilver achievements in Atlanta in 1996, has held the world records over bothdistances and has been, almost incidentally, the African record holder since1991.Retief GoosenAs a youngster Retief Goosen was struck by lightning. This narrow escape,however, has not prevented him from joining golf’s elite. His dramaticvictory in the 2001 US Open in Tulsa, when he three-putted the final holeand had to return the following day to beat Mark Brooks in a playoff,enabled him to join Gary Player and Ernie Els as the only three SouthAfricans to win a US Open. He also won the Scottish and Madrid Opens in 2001and, with Els, claimed the World Cup for South Africa. South Africa’s Golferof the Year for 2002.Penny HeynsPenny Heyns became South Africa’s golden girl in Atlanta in 1996 when shebecame the first woman in Olympic history to win both the 100m and 200mbreaststroke. She claimed her first world record over 100m in Durban duringthe same year and during an amazing career broke the world record 14 times.During an extraordinary streak in 1999, she set 11 world times in threemonths, with four of the records coming over two days during a meet in LosAngeles. A true patriot, she had a Springbok tattooed on her shoulder priorto the 1996 Olympics.Joe KadengeIn his time he has been a taxi driver, but he has also had his likenessdepicted on a postage stamp and had a street in Mombasa named after him. Bythe estimation of most Kenyans, Joe Kadenge is the greatest footballer everproduced by his country. A stalwart for Abaluhya Football Club, which waslater to become the famous AFC Leopards, Kadenge’s dazzling skills and closecontrol ensured that he was an automatic choice for the Harambee Stars (theKenyan national team) for 14 years before his retirement in 1968. He iscurrently the team manager of the Harambee Stars.Kip KeinoKenya’s most celebrated athlete, Kip Keino put Africans in the forefront ofmiddle to long distance running. A multiple world record holder, he wasequally formidable over distances anywhere between 1 500 and 5 000m. He tookgold and set a new Olympic1 500m record in Mexico in 1968 after having to jog a mile to the stadiumbecause his taxi was stuck in traffic. Then he won silver in the 5 000mdespite a gall bladder infection. At Munich four years later he was the 3000m steeplechase champion and took another silver in the 1 500m. A giantamong African athletes, he has devoted his life to the Kip Keino Children’sHome for abandoned children in Eldoret, Kenya. Kip Keino is a member of theInternational Olympic Committee.Doctor KhumaloSlick, smooth and stylish, Doctor Khumalo was there at the beginning whenSouth Africa re-entered international football against Cameroon in 1992,scoring Bafana Bafana’s only goal Remarkably, he earned his 50th cap forBafana Bafana in 2001. A legend at Kaizer Chiefs, the club for whom heparaded his silky skills despite brief sojourns in Argentine and the US,where he played for Columbus Crew in the Major Soccer League, “The Doctor’s”languid grace on the ball concealed the heart of a fierce competitor.Perhaps no other South African has quite captured the imagination of thepublic in the manner of Khumalo who remains a hero to millions of AmaKhosifans.Fanie LombaardFanie Lombaard is Mr Paralympics of South Africa. A former provincial rugbyplayer, he suffered an injury while playing rugby league that turnedgangrenous and had to have his leg amputated. Through the Paralympics here-invented himself as an icon of disabled sport. In Atlanta he won twogolds and set two world records in the shot put and the javelin, and wonbronze in the discus. In the 2000 Paralympics he won three gold medals(discus, shot put and pentathlon) and a silver (javelin). He broke the worldrecords for the shot put and the discus at the World Championships in Lillein 2002.Tegla LoroupeStanding just 1,49m tall and weighing in at less than 39kg, Tegla Loroupebecame the first African women to win a major marathon in New York in 1994.Since then she has become the fastest female marathon runner of all timewith a 2:20 run in Berlin in 1999. She developed her talent by running sixmiles to and from school every day and has gone on to set a world recordtime over 20 000m as well as an African record for the 10 000m. But it hasbeen for her dominance of women’s marathon running that the tiny andcourageous Kenyan is justly famous.Jane MandeanJane Mandean has been one of the stalwarts of the Amakrokokroko team forsome years now. Mandean, who competes in the cerebral palsy category inathletics for the disabled, has been a world record holder in the shot put(with a throw of 7,50m) and the javelin (17,23m). At the Sydney Paralympics,where the South African team won 38 medals, the multi-talented athlete wonbronze despite competing against the strongest discus field seen at theGames for some years. Mandean has continued to impress and at the WorldChampionships in Lille in 2002, won bronze in the shot put.Marks MaponyaneAstute and articulate, Marks Maponyane is today one of the continents mostrespected commentators on football. Before this, though, he was an equallyadmired, and well travelled, striker for Kaizer Chiefs, Dynamos, OrlandoPirates, Wits and, of course, South Africa in a career that spanned the bestpart of two decades. The only player to be named South Africa’s Player ofthe Year on three occasions, Maponyane won 13 caps for Bafana Bafana aftermaking his debut against Zimbabwe in 1992, scoring twice. In many ways,Maponyane will always be acclaimed as a footballer’s footballer.Sydney MareeOriginally from Atteridgeville in Pretoria, Sydney Maree left South Africain 1977 to put his obvious talents to the test on a bigger stage. Sosuccessful was he that a 3:29:77 time set in 1985 remains the Americanrecord for the 1 500m. In 1983 he broke the world1 500m record and at various times he held the American records for themile, the3 000m and the 5 000m. Initially restricted to college athletics because ofhis South African passport, Maree eventually represented the US at twoOlympics and at a World Cup. He is now a successful businessman in SouthAfrica.Baby Jake MatlalaThe shortest world champion in boxing history, Baby Jake Matlala was alsoblessed with a heart that would have done credit to a heavyweight as hecaptured four world titles in a career that spanned 30 years. He ended hiscareer in 2002, stepping out of the ring unbeaten after stopping JuanHerrara in the seventh round of a bout watched by, among others, NelsonMandela. Just 1.48m tall, Matlala was busy and courageous in the ring andpolite and dignified out of it. He is a true giant of South African boxing.Brian MitchellAs an apprentice professional, Brian Mitchell was known as “the Black boxerin a White skin” because he learned much of his craft fighting in thetownships around Johannesburg. Later he became “The Road Warrior” as hedefended his WBA world junior lightweight title no fewer than 12 times awayfrom South Africa, often before hostile and unwelcoming crowds. A busy,efficient fighter with a tight defence and the skill to pick off opponents,he achieved the rare distinction of being able to retire undefeated in 1991with a career record that included 41 victories, three draws and only onedefeat. He is now a successful manager and trainer.Welcome NcitaLike his schoolboy friend Vuyani Bungu, Welcome Ncita came out of EastLondon’s Mdantsane township, learning to fight in the Nyameko High Schoolwhere he and Bungu used to take it in turn to throw punches at thegymnasium’s only heavy bag. A classical stylist who fought from the outside,he became the IBF junior featherweight champion in 1990 before eventuallyretiring with 37 wins from 40 bouts. Unlike so many of his contemporaries,Ncita used his success shrewdly to become a capable businessman, but moreimportantly for boxing he has already trained his first world champion.Peter NdlovuPeter Ndlovu made his mark on Zimbabwean football with the first goal in a4-1 defeat of South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in 1994. In all he has scored 30goals in 61 appearances for his country, but it has been as a well-travelledprofessional in England that he has earned the widest acclaim. A trickywinger with pace and control, Ndlovu’s surname has baffled a generation ofEnglish commentators, but there was no mistaking the “Und-love” who oncenetted a hat-trick against mighty Liverpool at Anfield. He is still a legendat Zimbabwe’s Highlanders Football Club.Terence ParkinTerence Parkin, the deaf swimmer, was so proud of the silver medal he won atthe Sydney Olympics for the 200m breaststroke that he wore it to bed on thenight he won it. It was more than just a success for him, the KwaZulu-Natalswimmer said, but for all deaf people around the world. The InternationalDeaf Sports Federation agreed with him and at the Deaflympics in Rome in2001 he was named as the Federation’s Sportsman of 2000. Parkin has neverlet his disability hinder him and also won silver at the 2002 CommonwealthGames and gold at the 2001 Goodwill Games.Francois PienaarWho could ever forget the sight of Francois Pienaar and Nelson Mandela onthe winner’s podium at Ellis Park on June 24, 1995, both clad in SpringbokNo 6 jerseys after South Africa had beaten New Zealand in the Rugby WorldCup Final? “We didn’t win this for 60 000 people, we won it for 43-million,”said the Springbok captain in tribute to the Rainbow Nation. Pienaar had adistinguished player career for Transvaal, South Africa and, later, Saracensin England, but it will be for that brief shining moment when he and theworld’s most famous statesman held the William Webb Ellis trophy aloft thathe will be best remembered.Gary PlayerGary Player is generally held to be the most successful global golfer of alltime. He won 160 titles worldwide and is one of only five golfers to havewon all four Major titles. Player, habitually dressed in black, won hisfirst of nine Majors in 1959 when he claimed the British Open, a title hewas to win again in 1968 and 1974, the only man to triumph in thischampionship over three separate decades. He represented South Africa in 16World Cups before turning his attention to the Seniors Tour, where, ifanything, he was to prove even more successful. A renowned course architectwho has designed more than 200 courses world wide, Player was named as SouthAfrica’s Sportsman of the Century in 2000.Graeme PollockThe prince of left-handers, Graeme Pollock was named South Africa’sCricketer of the Century at the turn of the Millennium. The fact that theaccolade provoked no debate whatsoever indicates his stature in the game. Hewas South Africa’s youngest single and double centurion before embarking ona Test career that took in 23 Test matches and brought him 2 256 runs at anaverage of 60,97 – an average bettered only by the legendary Sir DonaldBradman. For many years Pollock held the South African record for thehighest Test score – 274 – and he is still revered wherever the game isplayed.Nick PriceThere was a time when Nick Price was thought of as golf’s Nearly Man. TheZimbabwean had led the 1982 British Open at Royal Troon going into the finalround, but faltered on the last day. Then came 1994, and this time there wasno denying him at Turnberry. For good measure, he added the US PGA titlelater in the year. Long one of the most popular members of the professionaltour, Price is a particular favourite at Sun City where he has won theMillion Dollar Challenge three times. His showings in 2002 suggest theremight still be another Major title in him.Lucas RadebeSouth Africa’s most famous and best-loved footballing export, Lucas Radebehas become a father figure to Bafana Bafana after a classic rags to richescareer. He was once a township roustabout before establishing himself firstwith Kaizer Chiefs, then with South Africa and latterly with English PremierLeague club Leeds United. As recognisable now in the north of England as heis in Soweto, “Roo” captained South Africa to the FIFA World Cup for thesecond time this year. He has battled with injuries in recent times, but hehas already made a massive contribution to South African football.Jody ScheckterIt is sometimes hard to believe that a curly-haired boy from East Londoncould have reached the top in the glamorous world of Formula One racing, butthat is the Jody Scheckter story. He first earned a place in the McLarenteam as a 22 year old before moving to Tyrell where he twice finished thirdin the World Drivers Championship in three years. Second in the Championshipbehind Nike Lauda in 1977, Scheckter moved to Ferrari in1979 to immediatelyclaim the coveted World Champion title. One of the most popular drivers ofhis time, Scheckter retired in 1980 as the winner of 10 Grand Prixs.Hezekiel SepengPerhaps the most talented middle distance runner to come out of SouthAfrica, Hezekiel Sepeng established himself as one of the world’s best witha storming run to grab the 800m silver medal at the 1996 Olympics. Anothersilver followed for the Potchefstrooom runner at the Kuala LumpurCommonwealth Games and he won bronze at the All Africa Games in Johannesburgin 1999. He posted a best-ever time of 1:42,69 in Brussels in 1999,finishing second behind the legendary Wilson Kipketer. Over 800m, only ninemen have run faster than Sepeng.Zanele SituZanele Situ became the first black female South African to win a gold medalat a Paralympics, but had to overcome a severe case of nerves to do so. Whenshe woke up on the day she was due to take part in the javelin competitionin Sydney, the trainee seamstress from a small, rural village outside ofUmtata got a case of the jitters about competing in front of so many people.Once there, though, she broke the world record in the spinal injury categoryan incredible four times to take gold. She backed it up with silver in thediscus.Paul TergatRecognised as the greatest cross-country runner of all time, Paul Tergattook no part in organised sport until he was 20. But when he did startrunning, only the very best could stay with him. He was the worldcross-country champion five times between 1995 and 1999, a half-marathonworld record holder and twice world champion over the distance. Now that hehas turned his attention to the marathon, he is tipped to be the first manto dip under two hours and four minutes for the distance. A silver medallistat the Sydney Olympics over 10 000m, he is also a former world record holderover the same distance.Dingaan Thobela”The Rose of Soweto”, so-called because he used to toss roses into the crowdat ringside, Dingaan Thobela is one of the most richly gifted boxers everproduced by South Africa. He won two world lightweight titles (WBO and WBA)in 1990 and 1991 respectively, and 10 years after his first world title helifted the WBC super middleweight crown when he beat Glenn Catley with alast round knockout. A scientific boxer with a sound defence, he could firethe left uppercut off the left jab, a talent given to only a very fewfighters.Josiah ThugwaneMidway through the marathon at the 1996 Olympics, commentators began to ask”Josiah who?” An hour or so later they had the answer. Josiah Thugwane hadqualified for Atlanta by winning the South African championships earlier inthe year, and he went on to demonstrate his quality as a distance runnerwith the Olympic gold. His victory was all the more remarkable for the factthat he had been shot in the face during an attempted hijacking in themonths leading up to Atlanta. He set a new South African record in Japan thefollowing year and now coaches budding marathoners.Frith van der MerweExperts began to sit up and take notice of Frith van der Merwe in 1988 whenshe set a new women’s Comrade’s Marathon ‘up run’ record of 6:32:56. Thefollowing year, however, Van der Merwe smashed all preconceptions aboutwomen runners with an amazing 5:54:43 to place 15th overall and leave dozensof excellent male runners in her wake. It is a record that still stands andone of the most remarkable achievements in the rich history of theultra-marathon. She was also to win in 1991, but her 1989 race will never beforgotten.Chester WilliamsIn some respects Chester Williams’ role as a pioneer of black rugby hastended to overshadow his attributes as a powerful, pacy winger, capable offinishing half-chances with a minimum of time and space in which to work. Hewill, however, always be remembered for South Africa’s triumphant 1995 WorldCup campaign when he came back, after injury, to grab four tries in theSpringboks’ quarter-final demolition of Western Samoa. One of many heroes inthe side which overcame the All Blacks in the RWC Final on that famousSaturday afternoon at Ellis Park, he is now an astute coach of the SpringbokSevens team.