World Cup-winning South African rugby player Hannes Strydom has died in a car crash aged 58.

Strydom was part of the Springboks team that lifted the World Cup after defeating New Zealand in the final in 1995.

The victory, which came a year after the end of apartheid in South Africa, was immortalised in the 2009 Hollywood movie Invictus.

Strydrom, who played as a second-row, has been described as “one of the great locks of his generation” after he was killed in the crash on Sunday evening.

He is the fifth member of the Springboks team which began that 15-12 victory over the All Blacks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg to have died.

Ruben Kruger died aged 39 in 2010 of brain cancer; Joost van der Westhuizen died aged 45 in 2017 of motor neurone disease; James Small died aged 50 in 2019 of a heart attack; Chester Williams died the same year aged 49 of a heart attack. Williams was the only black player on the winning squad in 1995.

Strydom won 21 Test caps between 1993 and 1997.

Israel-Gaza live updates: Hostage deal ‘close’ says Biden; dramatic footage shows fighters dropping from helicopter onto ship

Yemen’s Houthi rebels seize cargo ship they claim is Israel’s in Red Sea

Ukraine war latest: Russian police scramble as war protest breaks out on streets of Moscow; Russian ally gets pro-Ukraine president

His international career included facing the British and Irish Lions in 1997, a series which ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Springboks.

South African Rugby Union president Mark Alexander said in a statement: “Hannes was one of the great locks of his generation and as a member of the Springbok squad from 1995, one of the heroes of our local game.

“To lose yet another member of the iconic Bok squad from 1995 is a heavy blow to the rugby fraternity here in South Africa and our thoughts and condolences are with his wife, Nikolie, their children, Annalie, Hannes and Lucy, family and friends in this very difficult time.”

The Golden Lions, the rugby union club Strydom played for in South Africa, has also paid tribute to him.

Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli, another member of South Africa’s 1995 World Cup squad, said: “We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Hannes.

“We share a tight bond as members of the 1995 group and to lose yet another one of our brothers is a big blow.”

Related posts:

Japan to stage Olympic and Paralympic games ‘without overseas spectators’ Raging wildfires across Siberia prompt smoke warning Third fissure erupts at La Palma volcano after eight new earthquakes Winter Olympics opening ceremony in pictures – as skier from Uyghur community lights flame Which countries could broker negotiations between Russia and Ukraine? Sri Lanka parliament votes in new president Ukrainian ‘boy on the bridge’ turned army cook dreams of becoming professional chef Murderer who faked his own death to escape prison arrested Six killed in French Alps avalanche Prigozhin and the Kremlin are seemingly now on good terms – but the whole episode may not be over Russian navy ship appears to be heavily damaged in Ukrainian sea drone attack Israeli military operations in Gaza ‘will escalate’, IDF warns