Tributes are pouring in following the death of former Springbok wing and Blitzboks captain and coach, Chester Williams who passed away after he suffered a heart attack in Cape Town on Friday afternoon.
The 49-year old was a star of the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup-winning squad in 1995 and one of the best wings in South African rugby history.
The President of SA Rugby, Mark Alexander says as a member of the Springbok class of 1995, Chester was not only well-known in the rugby fraternity, but he was a much-loved South African whose influence stretched wider than just the rugby world.
A shocked Springbok squad awoke to the news on Saturday, as they continued their own World Cup journey in Japan.
“This was horrible news to wake up to this morning,” said Rassie Erasmus, director of rugby. “There was a very sombre mood in the breakfast room, it really is unbelievable news.”
“I played with Chester and many of our management knew him well and we are all in shock this morning. Many of our players were too young to remember the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, but they have grown up watching highlights of the final and of Chester and know him as a rugby player who became an icon for our country", Erasmus said.
Williams made his Springbok debut against Argentina in 1993 and played 27 Tests for South Africa until his last Test, against Wales in 2000, scoring 14 Test tries in the process.
In total, he played 47 matches in the green and gold and scored 27 tries.
Williams was named SA Rugby Player of the Year in 1994.
Apart from lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in 1995, he was also a member of the Springbok squad that won the Castle Lager RugbyChampionship (then Tri-Nations) in 1998, and he won the Currie Cup with the Xerox Golden Lions in 1999.
Picture: Pinterest
