RUGBY NEWS:FORMER SOUTH Africa flanker Ruben Kruger has passed away following a long battle with brain cancer.
The ex-Cheetahs and Bulls forward was first diagnosed with the illness during the early 2000s at the end of a successful career that saw him earn 36 Springbok caps, while he was also one of the stars of the 1995 World Cup-winning team.
Kruger, who was just two months short of his 40th birthday, made his debut against Argentina in Buenos Aires during 1993 and was named South African Rugby Player of the Year in the same year that the country lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy.
“Ruben Kruger was the epitome of the Springbok flanker, tough, indomitable and with an outstanding work ethic,” said Oregan Hoskins, president of the South African Rugby Union (Saru).
Meanwhile, Jonny Wilkinson has signed a one-year contract extension with French side Toulon. The World Cup-winning outhalf, whose existing deal was due to expire at the end of this season, moved to the Top 14 club from Newcastle last summer and has since returned to the England elite squad.
Wilkinson (30) is expected to line up for England in their RBS Six Nations opener against Wales at Twickenham tomorrow week after producing a series of strong displays for Toulon this season.
Toulon sit in fourth place in the Top 14 standings following their recent 31-19 win over Montpelier, and are on course to qualify for the end-of-season play-offs.
De La Salle Palmerston FC and Leinster lost one of its all-time club stalwarts this week with the passing away of Seán Stratton (aged 91), who was a former club president and Honorary Life Member. His contribution was noted in particular as an administrator, where he served Palmerston FC, De La Salle Palmerston FC and Leinster Rugby, at various levels.
Stratton served as president of the club on three occasions and was honorary secretary for 12 years. He also chaired the Leinster Branch Youth Committee and Metro Youth, and managed the first Leinster U-18 Youths Team.
He was also the inaugural recipient of the club’s Hall Of Fame award and was inducted in the Leinster Hall of Fame. But perhaps his greatest contribution was as Palmerston’s driving force of what was then the first club underage mini rugby set-up of any kind in the country back in 1975.
