Ex-Bok and top-level referee dies

Cape Town - Former Springbok centre Wynand Mans has passed away at the age of 76.

Mans played two Tests for the Springboks in 1965 and later became a top-level referee in the 1980s.

According to the SA Rugby Referees website, Mans is the last Springbok rugby player to become a top referee.

Former Springbok lock Kobus Wiese took to Twitter to pay tribute to Mans:

Wynand Mans, groot Gimmie , oud skeidsregter , gesinsman en “gentleman” is oorlede, mooi loop Oom Wynand, mag die Son van Geregtigheid jou altyd bestraal ??

— Kobus Wiese (@4KobusWiese) December 6, 2018

Former top-level referee Jonathan Kaplan also paid his respects on the social media network:

RIP Wynand Mans.. One of the best of his generation https://t.co/lOSLVE3CCR

— Jonathan Kaplan (@RefJK) December 7, 2018

Another former Bok lock, Schalk Burger snr, also paid his condolences:

RIP Wynand (Nassie) Mans, was the previous Paarl Gym Springbok '65 spanning an absence period of 19 years where our school did not have a representative until I was lucky enough to become the next Springbok '84, in the period of sports isolation @gimnasiumpaarl

— Schalk Burger (@skalabrak) December 6, 2018