RIP Ruben Kruger

[PaarlBok]

Sad news to see this Grote goes. He fought the cancer for years like poaching ball in his days. Nag ou Grote!
Sport24

Rugby

Ruben Kruger dies

Pretoria - Ruben Kruger, former Springbok flank and 1995 Rugby World Cup winner, has died in Pretoria on Wednesday night after a protracted battle with brain cancer.

Kruger, who would have turned 40 on March 30, was diagnosed with a brain tumour soon after his playing career ended in 1999.

Kruger had fought back from a broken leg suffered in a Tri-Nations match in 1996 to earn selection to the 1999 World Cup squad and fought his recurring illness with typical bravery and stoicism.

Nicknamed the “Silent Assassin” by coach Kitch Christie during the 1995 Rugby World Cup he scored a controversial try in the semi-final played in a deluge against France in Durban but was denied what appeared to be a certain try by referee Ed Morrison in the Ellis Park final.

Considered the kingpin of the side he was named SA Rugby Player of the Year for 1995.

Kruger, who hailed from Vrede in the Free State and went to Grey College, is survived by his wife Lize and two daughters Zoe and Bella.

Kruger made his debut for the Springboks against Argentina in 1993 and went on to play 36 Tests for South Africa, scoring seven tries.

At provincial level he was a stalwart of both Free State and the Blue Bulls.

 

[naza]

Poor bloke, it was probably for the best as he'd been suffering for quite some time.

Brilliant player. Hard as nails. Approximately a million times the player Pienaar was.

Andre Venter is a paraplegic...jeez, the ex-Boks are in the wars.

 

[Thomond78]

39, and more or less the last decade fighting it. God love him. RIP, boet.

 

[Blue]

Yeah he had a terrible time especially early on when they disovered the cancer.

The hardest of hard bastards and he was a pleasure to watch. Never backed down an inch. A great family man.

Rest in peace.

 

[PaarlBok]

Remember Ruben from way back when he played for Grey College Bloem. Was one hell of a schoolboy talent and a player that went through all levels pretty quick to get to the top.

 

[PhucNgo]

Very sad. Hard to accept the demise of a champion.

 

[PaarlBok]

Rubens team mates in the schoolboy Grey team were players like Naka Drodtsky , flanker, Hansie Cronje *th man, Charl Marais hooker, Pieter Muller , midfield and Ollie le Roux fatty.

 

[PaarlBok]

Paul Dobson tribute to Ruben
Rugby365

Paul Dobsons' tribute to Ruben.


Ruben Kruger: A Personal Memory

rugby365's oracle, Paul Dobson, recalls some of the fondest memories of a legend, the late Ruben Kruger.

Like many others, the death of Ruben Kruger is a sad shock, even though he had been so ill for so long. Many people will have memories of this great man, and because I have the opportunity I should like to add to the memory pool.

The first time I heard of him was from the late Louis Babrow, a 1937 Springbok.

Babrow, an Old Gray, had watched the 1st XV playing at his old school in Bloemfontein and he came back to Cape Town impressed. "I've seen a future Springbok," Babrow said. He had seen Ruben Kruger playing for Grey.

It was my great privilege to be part of the 1996 Springbok management team that went to Argentina, France and Wales, winning all five Tests. Ruben was on that trip. Quiet and effective on the field and so he was off the field. Quiet, effective, unemotional, courteous. I was much older than the rest and often when I bent to pick up a suitcase a big hand would descend, saying: "Los dit, Oom." It would be Ruben or André Venter, the two strong men who suffered so much in later years.

France is not an easy place to tour and the Springboks battled manfully against them. In the first Test we were under immense pressure in Paris, leading 13-12 at Parc des Princes with France hot on attack and time running out.

Right at the end, France got the ball back to Christophe Lamaison and he, it seemed, had lots of room. He shaped to drop. Somehow, miraculously, straining every muscle in his powerful body, Ruben charged down the kick and the day was won for South Africa. He must have found it an exciting moment, though his expression just did not change. It never did.

The tour went on to Cardiff for the last match. Wives joined the players in the Marriott Hotel. I came down in the lift. Between the lift and reception there was a sort of lounge. I walked through it and as I passed I heard a voice, calling me. "Oom."

I looked back and there was Ruben standing up straight. He said: "Oom, ek wil graag vir oom voorstel aan my vrou."

It remains a treasured moment.

Many, many people must have their memories of this great, brave man.

Funeral is tomorrow.

 

[PaarlBok]

They show a bit on national TV News and specially the Andre Venter part was a bit heart broken.

Superrugby

Moving farewell for Ruben

Springbok rugby on Wednesday laid former hero Ruben Kruger to rest in Pretoria after the 39 year old lost his 10-year battle with brain cancer last week.

In fact, there were so many former Springboks, former Springbok coaches, rugby administrators and erstwhile teammates and opponents of Kruger -- a member of the 1995 World Cup-winning Springbok team -- that they could have filled out a few tour buses.

Just about all the members of Francois Pienaar’s 1995 World Cup Springboks were present.

Pienaar, who visited Kruger in hospital shortly before his death, could not attend the funeral as he was in Europe.

Gysie Pienaar, a former Springbok and assistant coach of the 1995 team, sent an apology from China for not being able to be there.

Former Springbok captain and 1995 team manager Morné du Plessis said in his tribute that former South African rugby boss Danie Craven had said that it is one thing to become a Springbok, but quite another to be a good one.

“Doc Craven would probably have agreed with me that Ruben Kruger was one of the greats. He is renowned from London and Edinburgh through to Auckland.”

Kruger was South Africa’s rugby player of the year in the season that they won the World Cup for the first time.

Du Plessis arrived at the funeral with another member of the 1995 team Kobus Wiese and former Springbok Toks van der Linde.

Apart from Du Plessis, several other former Springbok captains like Wynand Claassen, Naas Botha, Gary Teichmann and Joost van der Westhuizen also attended the funeral.

Blue Bulls president Boet Fick, several of his predecessors and numerous current and former Springboks and Bulls players also came to pay their last respects to the Silent Assassin.

Even his old school -- Grey College in Bloemfontein -- sent a delegation. The school and its former pupils held a moment’s silence world-wide at 10am when the funeral started.

“Ruben is finally over the goal-line -- that which we are all destined for,” said pastor At Boshoff at the funeral service at the Christian Reformed Church in Pretoria-East.

“You knew where Ruben stood when he spoke. He knew his God,” said Boshoff.

“Shortly before his death, when he emerged from a deep sleep -- or perhaps rather a coma -- he told Lizel (his wife): ‘I dreamed -- it’s big, big, big!’”

Lizel Kruger said in her tribute to her husband: “Earthly possessions were not important to you. We were proud of you. Not because you were a Springbok rugby player but because you were a Springbok dad. In your life you never said anything bad to or about me.”

His two daughters, Zoë and Isabella, wrote in their funeral letter: “Thank you that we could lie in your arms every morning and ride with you in the bakkie every day.”

One of the most moving moments was when another former Springbok flanker, André Venter, was pushed into the church in his wheelchair by Wahl Bartmann.

Venter also delivered a tribute: “Ruben was a remarkable person. My wife and I visited him and Lizel in Pretoria in December. He prayed for me in spite of all his pain. That sums up his life. It does not matter what his situation was -- he always thought of a fellow human being before himself.

“He was not just a legend on the field, but a legend of life. Ruben, when I get to heaven one day, I want to be in the same team as you again.”

Kruger will be buried on Thursday on the farm where he was born near Vrede in the North-East Free State.