Where are they now? The Springboks team 30 years after their 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph

This Tuesday – June 24 – is the 30th anniversary of that seminal occasion when the Springboks clinched their first Rugby World Cup triumph, a joyous breakthrough that culminated in Nelson Mandela handing the Webb Ellis Cup to Francois Pienaar.

A country divided for far too long by apartheid was now celebrating as one after an extra-time drop goal from Joel Stransky finally got the better of the All Blacks in Johannesburg.

It capped a dream return to the international arena for the Springboks. It was only two years earlier when South Africa were allowed back into the Test fold after their long isolation and they weren’t expected to challenge for the trophy in 1995.

However, wins over defending champions Australia, Romania, Canada, Samoa and France qualified them for an edge-of-seat decider that ended in a stalemate at the end of normal time.

Nine-all was how the try-less encounter finished after 80 minutes, but South African boss Kitch Christie – who passed away with leukaemia in 1998 – had drilled it into his charges that they would be the fitter team.

Five of the starting XV are sadly no longer with us…

So it proved, the boot of Stransky securing the title on a 15-12 scoreline after 100 minutes of an intense Rugby World Cup battle. Here is what became of the legendary team skippered by Pienaar:

15. Andre Joubert: The 1995 Rugby World Cup final marked the 16th Test appearance of the silky full-back, whose international career spanned 34 caps and concluded two years later in Pretoria against Australia.

He continued playing top-level rugby with the Sharks in the newly established Super 12, and his provincial career with Natal ended on a high with a Currie Cup title in 1999.

Before the World Cup triumph, Joubert worked in the banking sector for four years. Soon after the finals, the now 61-year-old launched his own business, originally named Kwazulu Minolta and now known as 3C Technology.

14. James Small: Tasked with the formidable challenge of containing Jonah Lomu, who had torn through England in the semi-final, the winger faced a daunting assignment in the 1995 final. It marked his 23rd Test appearance in a career that spanned 47 caps and ended with a match against Scotland in 1997.

Known for his fiery temperament and “bad boy” reputation, highlighted by a 1993 sending-off for dissent, he played for several South African clubs during the professional era and retired in 1999 due to injury.

After rugby, he turned his attention to the restaurant business, various ventures and coaching. Tragically, he passed away from a heart attack in July 2019 at the age of 50.

13. Japie Mulder: A powerful centre, the final was his ninth Test appearance. He went on to earn 34 caps, concluding his international career in 2001 against Italy in Port Elizabeth.

After his stint with the Cats in Super Rugby, Mulder signed a dual-code contract in England. He played a Premiership season with Leeds but a neck injury prevented him from turning out for rugby league side Leeds Rhinos. He soon returned to South Africa and retired.

In 2007, he pleaded guilty to attempted indecent assault and was fined. Two years later, he and his family were victims of a car hijacking. Now 55, Mulder works in the telecommunications industry.

12. Hennie le Roux: The decider marked his 17th Test in a 27-cap Springbok career, which concluded in December 1996 with a match against Wales.

He continued playing at domestic level with the Cats until his retirement from club rugby in 2000. A fluent linguist, he played a meaningful cultural role during the 1995 Rugby World Cup, encouraging his teammates to sing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika with accuracy and respect – an effort that helped foster national unity and strengthen support from South Africa’s black community.

Now approaching his 58th birthday, he co-founded the South African Rugby Players’ Association in 1998 and has since been involved in several business ventures, including ownership of Crown River Safari near Grahamstown.

A passionate advocate for social change, he also co-founded Unite SA, an initiative dedicated to promoting peace, equality, accountability, and justice. He is a member of Rugby Players for Jesus, reflecting his strong faith and commitment to community values.

11. Chester Williams: The poster boy of the 1995 Springboks and their only black player at the time, he came close to missing the tournament due to injury and was only recalled after suspensions opened a spot in the squad. He made the most of his opportunity, scoring four tries in the quarter-final and playing a key role in South Africa’s historic World Cup triumph.

The final marked his 14th Test in a 27-cap international career that concluded in 2000 with a final appearance in Cardiff. He wrapped up his playing days with the Cats before moving into coaching, with roles that took him as far as Romania.

In his later years, he served as head coach at the University of the Western Cape and as executive director of Forward Africa Petroleum. He passed away from a heart attack in September 2019 at the age of 49.

10. Joel Stransky: The decisive figure in the 1995 final, he famously landed the winning drop goal after going against captain Pienaar’s call from the scrum. The final marked his 10th Test in a 22-cap Springbok career, which concluded 14 months later against New Zealand.

Now approaching 58, Stransky played several seasons with Leicester during the early years of professional rugby before returning to South Africa.

He later served as CEO of Hertz SA and went on to co-found the tech solutions company Pivotal in 2012. Currently holds the position of CEO at Paperlogic Hygiene and is a regular feature as a pundit and commentator for South African broadcaster SuperSport.

9. Joost van der Westhuizen: The third member of the 1995 World Cup-winning starting backline to have passed away, he delivered the crucial pass that set up Stransky’s match-winning drop goal in the final.

That unforgettable moment came in just his 13th Test, early in a distinguished international career that spanned 89 caps and ended with the Springboks’ 2003 World Cup quarter-final loss to New Zealand in Melbourne.

A loyal servant of the Bulls, Van der Westhuizen spent his entire professional career with the franchise. His post-rugby life was marked by personal controversy, which he addressed with honesty in his 2009 autobiography, offering a public apology for his actions.

After working as a SuperSport pundit, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2011. He faced the illness with remarkable courage and became an advocate for awareness and research until his passing in 2017 at the age of 45.

The Forwards

8. Mark Andrews: The Johannesburg showpiece was only the second time in his then 13-cap career that he played at number eight, a position he jokingly claimed he hadn’t filled since he was 13 years old until he was chosen to play there for the semi-finals.

He moved back to lock afterwards and went on to earn a total of 77 caps, concluding his international career in 2001 at Twickenham. His club career continued until 2004, finishing with Newcastle in England.

After returning to South Africa, he entered the sports goods business and the now 53-year-old is currently listed as the independent business owner of Innov8 Solar, following a long involvement with M5 Sports Group.

7. Ruben Kruger: The final marked the flanker’s 10th appearance in a career which comprised 36 caps and concluded at the 1999 World Cup in Cardiff. He was voted player of the year in 1995 and later played for the Bulls in the Super 12.

In 2000, he was diagnosed with a tumour, and the initial surgery was believed to be successful for the Pretoria-based camera salesman. However, he fell ill while on a family holiday in 2009 and sadly passed away the following year at the age of just 39.

6. Francois Pienaar (c): The skipper had his role reprised by Matt Damon in the Hollywood movie Invictus about the finals. Made just eight more appearances in his 29-cap career after the World Cup decider, finishing up against New Zealand in Cape Town in 1996 and moving to Saracens in England, where he became CEO after he retired from playing.

Now 58, he worked for FNB after returning to South Africa before founding Advent Sport and Media Entertainment in 2009. Was also the founding chairman of the Make A Difference leadership foundation.

Is still involved in rugby, becoming a Saracens director in 2022 and assisting the Varsity Cup, a South African university rugby competition.

5. Hannes Strydom: The World Cup final was Strydom’s 11th appearance for the national team in his 21-cap career, which concluded against Australia in Pretoria in August 1997.

He was a qualified pharmacist and played professionally for several South African franchises. In addition to his playing career, he owned a pharmacy chain called Pharma Valu in Pretoria.

Tragically, he was killed at the age of 58 in November 2023 when his car collided with a minibus taxi in Mpumalanga province.

4. Kobus Wiese: The lock made his seventh appearance in the World Cup decider, concluding an 18-cap Test career in Cardiff in December 1996. Now 61 years old, he played professionally for the Lions and had experience in Europe.

He is the owner of Wiesenhof Coffees, a brand he grew from a single café to 52 outlets and a roastery. Additionally, Wiese has had a long career as a rugby commentator and show host for SuperSport.

3. Balie Swart: The tighthead prop made only two more appearances for the Springboks after the final, concluding his 16-cap career in August 1996 with a game in Bloemfontein against Australia. He was part of one of the most peculiar club send-offs when he received a red card from Andre Watson after showing the referee a red card while playing for the Lions.

Now 61 years old, Swart transitioned into coaching following his retirement. He spent some time with the Highlanders in New Zealand and worked with the Springboks during the 2007 World Cup.

Later, he shifted his focus to referee coaching, initially with SA Rugby and subsequently with SANZAAR.

2. Chris Rossouw: The final was just his fifth appearance in his nine-cap international rugby career. His selection came as a result of James Dalton’s red card suspension.

After the finals, Rossouw faded back into obscurity, and it wasn’t until 1999 that he earned his final four caps.

Now 55 years old and a cancer survivor, he played for both the Lions and the Sharks. Currently, he works in the family business, the Rossgro farm company.

1. Os du Randt: The powerful scrummager achieved the remarkable distinction of still being active in rugby 12 years later when South Africa won their second World Cup. That 2007 victory in Paris marked the end of his impressive career, which included a record-setting 80 caps.

His number of appearances would have been even higher had he not missed several years due to injury, remaining uncapped from November 1999 until June 2004.

The 1995 World Cup final was only his ninth appearance for the national team, and he continued to play in South Africa as rugby transitioned to a professional sport, contributing to various Super Rugby franchises.

He later moved into coaching, specialising in scrummaging for both the Cheetahs and the Springboks. Additionally, he was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame prior to the 2019 World Cup. Now 52 years old, he works as a farmer and serves as a Kubota SA ambassador.

USED SUBS: 17. Brendan Venter, 19. Rudolf Straeuli, 20. Garry Pagel; UNUSED SUBS: 16. Gavin Johnson, 18. Johan Roux, 21. Naka Drotske

READ MORE: Felix Jones reveals ‘the biggest difference’ between coaching the Springboks and England