By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Springboks legend Theuns Stofberg has died at the age of 68 after a serious car accident earlier this week.
Stofberg’s family confirmed his death in a statement, on Wednesday morning.
He was rushed to hospital after a serious accident around 19:00 on Monday night.
The accident – a head-on collision between three cars – occurred on the Koelenhof Road (R304) outside Stellenbosch.
Stofberg suffered several internal injuries, including a fractured pelvis and ribs, a perforated lung as well as internal bleeding.
He played 21 Tests for the Springboks between 1976 and 1984 and captained the side on occasion.
Stofberg won the Currie Cup in the colours of three different teams – the Cheetahs (1976), Bulls (1979, ’80) and Western Province (1982, ‘83) – a distinction he held alone until current Springbok eighthman Duane Vermeulen equalled the feat.
Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby, paid tribute to former Springbok captain Stofberg.
“To say Theuns Stofberg made an immense mark on South African rugby in a difficult time in the history of our game, would be somewhat of an understatement, “said Alexander.
“He made his Test debut against the All Blacks in 1976, only a year after playing for the SA U21s, and played in all four Tests in the series victory over the British & Irish Lions in 1980.
“In 1981, Theuns was a member of the Bok squad that toured New Zealand in very challenging circumstances, and he concluded his Test career at the age of 29 by captaining the Boks against England in the two Tests in South Africa in 1984.
“Lifting the Currie Cup only once is a highlight in the career of many, but Theuns did so five times with three different provinces, which is an amazing feat. He was a humble and hard-working rugby player who excelled at flanker and lock, representing the Boks in both positions.
“Theuns held a deep love of rugby, he treasured the ethos and camaraderie of the game, and he ensured that he and his former teammates stayed in touch over the years.
“He was well-respected all over the world and a wonderful ambassador for South Africa. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Martie, their four children, Elni, Theunis, Johan and Anzél and their spouses, their grand-children, other family and friends in this time of grief.”
Apart from his 21 Tests, Stofberg played in a further eight midweek matches for the Boks, as well as 117 provincial matches in the colours of the Cheetahs (41), Bulls (33) and Western Province (43) from 1976 to 1985. He also played for the SA U21s, the Gazelles, the SA XV and Barbarians teams and scored an amazing 64 tries in his 179 first-class appearances.