Share

'Battle of Boet Erasmus' remembered

Cape Town - June 3, 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the infamous "Battle of Boet Erasmus" when the Springboks duelled Canada in the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

It was a memorable tournament for the Springboks, who went on to beat New Zealand 15-12 in the final later that month.

However, the match in Port Elizabeth against the Canadians will be remembered for the wrong reasons, despite the Springboks' 20-0 victory on the night.

The match was delayed for 45 minutes due to a power failure, which only added to the tension.

It was a hard, physical match, which eventually boiled over with a major brawl in the second half.

There was a scuffle between Bok wing Pieter Hendriks and Canadian counterpart Winston Stanley, before Canada fullback Scott Stewart came flying in with a hit to the back of Hendriks' head.

Bok hooker James Dalton joined the scuffle to help his team-mate, but appeared to spark things even more, before a mass brawl ensued.

Irish referee Dave McHugh opted to send off Dalton, Canadian captain Gareth Rees and prop Rod Snow.

Hendriks was cited afterwards and both he and Dalton were banned from the tournament, which allowed Chester Williams a way back into the Bok squad, after the Western Province wing had initially missed selection for the tournament due to injury.

View the video below...

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Titans RSA 155/8
Lions 154/8
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1818 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1778 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE