Ruben Kruger

Ruben Jacobus Kruger (30 March 1970 – 27 January 2010) was a South African rugby union player. He played as a flanker.

Career

Kruger played for the South Africa national rugby union team between 1993 and 1999. In 1995, he played in the Rugby World Cup. During this tournament, he made 5 starts, and scored 1 try, in the controversial semi-final against the France national rugby union team. He also played in the 1999 World Cup.

At club level, Kruger represented the Currie Cup teams of the Free State Cheetahs and the Blue Bulls. In 1995 Ruben Kruger was named South African Rugby Football Union's player of the year. At the end of his rugby career, he became a camera salesman. He owned a Minolta franchise in Pretoria. He was portrayed in Invictus, a film about Nelson Mandela and the 1995 Springboks, by Grant Roberts.

Death

Kruger died in Pretoria on 27 January 2010 after battling brain cancer for 10 years. He was two months short of his 40th birthday.

Province

• Free State Cheetahs
• Northern Transvaal (Super 12) until 1996
• Bulls (Super 14) since 1996

Springboks

He played his first test match for the Springboks on 6 November 1993 against Argentina (won 29-26).

Honours

Springboks

• 36 caps
• 7 tries (35 points)
• Caps by season : 2 in 1993, 2 in 1994, 9 in 1995, 13 in 1996, 6 in 1997, 4 in 1999.

World Cups

• 1995 : world champions, 5 selections (Wallabies, Romania, Samoa, France, All Blacks).
• 1999 : 2 selections (Spain, All Blacks).