A great player but not only.
Former Springboks scrum-half and captain Dawie De Villiers has died aged 81, the South African Rugby Federation announced on Sunday.
This sportsman had also endorsed political leaders upon his retirement.
MP then member of many governments under apartheid, this philosophy and theology graduate then became a minister in the first democratically elected South African government in 1994, under the presidency of Nelson Mandela.
🇿🇦 SA Rugby paid tribute to former Springbok captain Dr Dawie de Villiers, who passed away on Saturday
🗣️ “He was a great servant of the country” - Mr Mark Alexander, President of SA Rugby
đź”— More here: https://t. co/zEgBxFTcVQ pic.twitter.com/yqUBflZO3o
— Springboks (@Springboks) April 24, 2022
Dawie De Villiers totaled 25 caps for South Africa from 1962 to 1971 (three tries) and played for clubs in Western Province, Boland and Transvaal.
South African Rugby Federation chairman Mark Alexander said De Villiers was "one of the Springboks' best captains".
“Dawie was a respected sportsman and politician who took part in change as our country moved towards democracy, he was a great servant to his country,” he added.
His death on Saturday came the day after that of former Springbok forward Pedrie Wannenburg, 41, who was killed in a car accident in Texas on Friday.
