Bok RWC winners honoured

Brenden Nel - SuperSport

Johannesburg - It may be New Zealand’s moment in the limelight, but the Springbok victories in 1995 and 2007 have been honoured as the captains and coaches of Rugby World Cup winning teams were inducted into the International Rugby Board’s Hall of Fame on Monday.

This year the IRB has decided to induct all the winning coaches and captains of the six Rugby World Cups past among a glittering array of stars at this year’s awards.

Thus former Springbok coach Jake White and past captains John Smit and Francois Pienaar will join an illustrious group of players already in the hallowed ranks. Bok coach Kitch Christie, architect of the 1995 World Cup victory will also be inducted posthumously.

This year’s list, which also includes World Cup legends like Brian Lima, Agustin Pinochet and New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens, will also see the most famous face of Rugby World Cups - Jonah Lomu - also join the list of legends on the roll of honour.

NEW RUGBY WORLD CUP INDUCTEES

A) Winning RWC captains and coaches

1987 RWC
David Edward Kirk, MBE (New Zealand)
Sir Brian James Lochore ONZ, KNZN, OBE (New Zealand)

1991 RWC
Nicholas Campbell ‘Nick’ Farr-Jones (Australia)
Robert “Bob” Dwyer (Australia)

1995 RWC
Jacobus Francois Pienaar (South Africa)
George Moir ‘Kitch’ Christie (1940-1998) (South Africa)

1999 RWC
John Eales (already inducted)
Roderick ‘Rod’ McQueen (Australia)

2003 RWC
Martin Osborne Johnson CBE (England)
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE (England)

2007 RWC
John William ‘John’ Smit (South Africa)
Jacob Westerduin ‘Jake’ White (South Africa)

B) RWC legends

Brian Lima (Samoa)
Agustin Pichot (Argentina)
Gareth Rees (Canada)
Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
Gordon Tietjens (New Zealand)